Persons employed at the Ministry of Social Development who lack caring and empathy, need to be working elsewhere.

This point was made by Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves on Tuesday, February 28 while speaking at the graduation ceremony for the VEEP Family Life Education Programme, which took place at the Belle Vue Seventh Day Adventist Church.

“If you know you don’t care, tell me and let me move you from the Ministry of Social Development and put you somewhere else.”

He said while the participants were taught anger management and other essential life skills, “there are some people down there who need those training.”

“It must not be assumed that everybody down there got the training that you have.”

Gonsalves added that while social workers may have “a lot of degrees and higher education”, there is still need for them to do some introspection.

The Prime Minister continued by engaging the response of the graduates to pertinent questions.

“When you come there and ask for help, do they get vex with you?”

“Do they get angry with you?”

“Do they talk down to you?”

“Do they make you feel shame?”

Participants shouted ‘yes’ to all of these questions, thereby reinforcing the points made by the Prime Minister.

He used the opportunity to underscore the importance of that ministry within the government apparatus.

“The Ministry of Finance might be the brains of the government, but the heart of the government is the Ministry of National Mobilization and Social Development.” The Ministry of National Mobilization, Social Development, Family, Gender Affairs Youth and Housing is headed by Minister Orando Brewster.

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