Poverty assessment data collection begins

Data collection for the Country Poverty Assessment began on Wednesday with the Institutional Analysis component. The institutional analysis involves the collection of information from organisations, agencies and institutions which have an impact on poverty. These institutions provide employment, deal with infrastructural development and provide social facilities.{{more}}

Dr. Ralph Henry and Melissa Felician of Kairi Consultants Limited, the firm that has been contracted to conduct the assessment, met with representatives from the National Insurance Services, the Liberty Lodge Boys Training School and the Ministry of National Mobilisation to identify ways in which current policies and regulations impact society. On Thursday, the consultants interviewed officials from the Ministry of Rural Transformation, the Family Court, the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police force and the Ministry of Agriculture.

The institution analysis will help with the development of poverty reduction policies and programmes to address institutional weaknesses and identify ways of building on existing strengths.

The other components of the Country Poverty Assessment include a Survey of Living conditions which will seek information about every day household spending and the Participatory Poverty Assessment where people from selected poor communities will give their views and suggestions about what can be done to improve their living conditions.