The revelation that some social welfare applicants waited two years for their application to be processed is cause for concern.
It will attract attention because of the challenges a lot of these applicants face daily.
New Vision of Fiji CEO Rajnel Prasad said they raised their concerns with the Social Welfare Ministry and were advised some applicants did not qualify for social welfare assistance.
“We have come across families who waited for social welfare assistance for two years,” Mr Prasad said.
“We raised our concerns with the ministry, and they said they had done their assessments and identified those who did not qualify.”
Mr Prasad wants the ministry to offer proper responses.
“When we asked how these recipients did not qualify, ministry officials said they had televisions. But, these items did not belong to them. These items belonged to other family members, not the applicant.”
Imagine living on the edge daily, when you balance what you have against survival, and that effort to keep hunger at bay!
For a lot of those in great need, things like education for starters, become a distant dream, healthcare is but a luxury they can’t afford.
With all that is staring them in the face, there is a lifeline – social welfare assistance!
So what happens when even this becomes a challenge because of bureaucracy or for whatever reason?
For these families, every day without assistance is a major issue.
We do not know about all their problems.
Many must travel to Suva, a costly and exhausting trip for those already struggling to keep their heads above water, just for some semblance of order and hope.
The ministry’s silence in the face of this outcry is deafening.
We can only hope that does not reflect a system that has lost sight of its purpose — to serve the most vulnerable!
We say a system that prioritises bureaucratic hurdles over human lives is a system in need of reform.
We hope the ministry recognises that assistance is not just a privilege to be dispensed at its leisure, but it is a lifeline for many people, and which should be actioned with some urgency and compassion.
The plight of those waiting for two years, or even one, for their applications to be processed is a shame.
And it is a call to action.
We need to be working together for those in need.
Surely we can ease their burdens and assist them to overcome some of their challenges.
And let’s do this now!
