Community minister commits to helping those in need
CNS): Minster for Community Affairs and Housing Mike Adam has said that with government’s financial commitment to the ministry he aims to revitalize the relevant services and offer immediate assistance to those most in need in the Cayman Islands community. With efforts now underway to enhance government agency and community worker capabilities for addressing family structure and broader societal stress, Adam said the goal was to plan for the long term needs of the islands’ most vulnerable people. Formally opening a major training project in his ministry Adam emphasized the government’s allocation of significant resources to more effectively meet community needs.
The ministry aims to improve inter-ministerial collaboration to address youth issues and has also committed financial support for non-governmental organizations such as churches and service clubs.
The staff development programme started last week and the aim is to empower and mobilise communities via team-building exercises, while equipping staff to meet district challenges.
Government said that the major objectives of this concentrated public service re-development are to incorporate community development officers into the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and to develop strategies for addressing such issues as unemployment, juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy and the needs of the elderly.
The University of the West Indies’ Dr Peta-Anne Baker has been temporarily engaged to serve as the training facilitator, as well as to help evaluate and effect the transition to DCFS. Her experience includes agency management, programme planning, community education and leadership programme design and implementation. She is also an author and conference presenter. Dr Baker’s assignment in the Cayman Islands includes meetings with senior officials, determining further agency training needs, and preparing a final evaluation and a recommendation report.
So far, there has been no mention of the National Assessment of Living Conditions project which was conducted under the previous administration and revealed detailed and distressing evidence of genuine poverty in the Cayman Islands.
CNS has asked the ministry if the report will be involved in shaping goals and policies and is awaiting a response.
Category: Local News
Mr. Adam, I know your doing the best you can with the little you have avaialble. Thank you for helping us with a honest days work during the clean up campaign. We know you have a plan to help us get out of this mess.
I think it’s downright shameful that most of these so called pastors and church people wear great expensive suits, have great houses and cars and yet they do nothing in return for the poor. A lot of them are in it for the money and it’s all the people they sucker in who go to church and give them tons of money who are supporting all this. Why not just figure out other ways of donating good causes rather than supporting these churches, some of who are run by foreigners who take but do not contribute to the community in return. Wake up church goers!
20:05 COMMENTS I am very religious, but, where are the churches.
Church members may hold me up for this, but I could not care less, you are speaking the truth 20:05. anonymous.
Many times I scratch my head in wonder when I see how mean the churches are to those in need. All of them too. The few caymanian run churches are no different from thr foreign churches they have service weekly and sundays from sun up to sun down, but you never hear that they have contributed nothing to the schools or the elderly or the prison or a scholarship or anything. The want you to become members to collect you collection, pension but they aint giving out anything. The foreign churches !!! I blame Immigration for them, sprouting up like grass on every corner. Period. Because they are set up in everybody,s back yard, front porch, under tent and tamrind tree. They do not have Cayman preachers or speakers, much less a single cayman church member. Their artistic behavior of kicking off shoes, pulling off their hats, tearing off half of their clothes, rolling on the ground, screaming and running the corridors is unbelievably artistic. Then lighting a big drum with a big fire outside the door and encouraging members to write on bits of paper and throw them in the fire. I am at a lost of words after wittnessing this once at a church. Does this sound christ like . If it is then please tell me that it is and I will understand. Who is to be blamed for this? I am sure it is not Mr.Adams. Anyway lets us watch and see, what plans he has. I hope he will listen to the right people and do the right thing for the people of Cayman. I believe we have three years and six months. Be patient, Nothing is impossible.
The role of the Church in Cayman is to 1) prevent the spread of the disease of homosexuality 2) stop anyone shopping or drinking on a Sunday and 3) participate in political debate. We cannot let something like tending to the poor, the sick and the otherwise needy get in the way of these priorities. After all did Jesus spend his time looking after the poor and the ill?
Mike? What is Government policy on providing long term assistance toforeign nationals?
When did this sudden change take place? Adam has been in government for over 6 months & there have been many reports of people in need being neglected. Take for instance the sick lady that lives off of Eastern Avenue & went for help but was refused because she was seen at many PPM public meetings? Adam must help ALL Caymanians regardless of color, class or political affiliation.
That sounds made up. If you are going to make such a charge, please provide details.
Who is this sick lady? Who did she go to for help? What did she ask for? What was the response given and by whom? Its easy to make wild charges, now provide the details.
If someone in government truly rejected necessary help for a sick person because that person went to a PPM public meeting – they shoud be investigated and fired immediately.
MR MIKE ADAMS, is a very caring man with a gentle heart inlaid with gold. Could, not find a more beautiful family than his.
Let us embrace his efforts and give him the opportunity to carry out his plans. If there is something you do not agree with, be open and let him know, publicly or in person, but please control your coments to the issues at hand and not the personal attacks because of political differences. .
My number I Politician . Thank you.
You bring tears to my eyes – oh its only Miss Vargas and her usual praise for the udp no matter what – now my tears have dried up!
ANONYMOUS 22:29 "Its your party and you cry if you want to" LOL.
22:29 " Miss Crying time" Please explain to me why is it that you are crying because I support the efforts of Mr Mike Adam? I have not in all of my life time living in Cayman ever heard that Mr. Mike Adam or his family ever offended anyone.
If you know something that I do not," please stop crying about it and talk".
My usual praise for the UDP no matter what !!. "What is wrong with that also. I also have Praise for many persons of PPM and Independent teams too. Its call spliting justice.
Good thinking TWYLA. You do it just like me. Pick out all the good men from each side and support them. I dont like the party system either as it separates too many families. But come on folks let us admit that Mr Adams is a good man, and that he is the right man for that job. THANK YOU.
I agree Twyla. I don’t take sides and instead take each person on their own merits, regardless of their political affiliations.
I am very religious, but let me say that the Churches make alot of money and do not see many of them with programs to assist the elderly and the unfortunate. I have always said that if each Church member in the Cayman Islands would help with one child we would not have so many of our youth in the Northward lock up. We are still a small Community and I say that there is no need to have NO ONE from Jamaica come here and tell us how to run things. Every Community has some good folks in them that know our people and if you all would sit down with them they would come up with some real good solutions. The money paid out to some Jamaican advisor could help set up alittle facility for the elderly to congregate during the days when their familys are out on jobs . Right now this os one of the most needed facilities in Cayman. The same Church folks Social Clubs etc etc could volanteer some time. We need to have more trust and respect for our own Locals who made the Cayman Islands work many years ago when we were still living in Paradise. One of the big complaints that Social Services always had was that there was too many JAS employed.