by Linda Straker
- In June 2022, programme supported 7,107 people
- 2,975 programme beneficiaries of reformed programme since change of Government
- 7,914 currently receiving conditional cash transfers
Social Development Minister Gloria Thomas has disclosed that the Support for Education, Empowerment and Development (SEED) social safety net programme in the Ministry of Social Development is now providing monthly financial assistance to 7,914 people.
In June 2022, there were 7,107 people on the programme.
Using the World Bank’s latest population count of 125,000 for Grenada, this means that 6.33% of the population are dependent on this social safety net advancement project which was introduced in 2012 with funding from the World Bank.
“A total of 7,914 persons are currently receiving the conditional cash transfer,” Minister Thomas said while presenting a status report of her ministry in a townhall meeting organised by Government as part of activities to mark its 2nd anniversary since winning the 23 June 2022 General Election. She further disclosed that as of 1 January, a total of 2,975 beneficiaries are benefitting from the programme which the ministry has reformed since the change of Government. “As a ministry we also did some reassessment and adjustments in the list of persons,” she told the hundreds of citizens who attended the meeting.
With 7,914 currently on the list, a review of the data submitted to Parliament because of questions submitted by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Mitchell is showing that the beneficiary list has increased by 818.
In April 2023, Phillip Telesford who was then serving as Minister of Social and Community Development, Housing and Gender Affairs, told the Lower House of Parliament that there were 7,107 in June 2022 and as of April 2023 there were 7,373 active beneficiaries receiving the SEED cash transfer.
Government has never disclosed the number of people removed from the programme. However, with Thomas disclosing at the townhall meeting that 2,975 people are benefitting because of the reform measures undertaken by the ministry, it means that 2,157 were removed from the list and then replaced after the assessment by the ministry or removed and replaced with new names.