More must be done for the vulnerable during the pandemic says councillor

Local government Councillor for Reform / Manahambre, Chris Arshad Hosein, is calling on Government to do more for the vulnerable in society, who are having a major challenge living through the current pandemic, especially its negative economic impacts.

Local government Councillor for Reform / Manahambre, Chris Arshad Hosein, is calling on Government to do more for the vulnerable in society, who are having a major challenge living through the current pandemic, especially its negative economic impacts.

“The elected Government needs to do more to assist those vulnerable persons at this time, as many are feeling the economic impact of the pandemic,” argues Councillor Hosein in an official statement, admitting that he has dipped into his own pocket more than once over the past year of the pandemic, to provide assistance to the neediest cases in his region.

And he is challenging government ministers to show true solidarity with those citizens having a rough time during the pandemic by considering taking a pay-cut.

“Government needs to do more to assist those vulnerable persons and if funding is the issue, they should take a pay-cut and donate their hefty salaries towards relief efforts as well,” Councillor Hosein said.

“These are the people they were elected to serve. The least they could do is to stand in solidarity with them at this time and show some compassion. After all, the Prime Minister said, ‘we are in this together’, in reference to the Government Ministers,” he added.

Noting that “UNC MPs and Councillors have been leading the charge in outreach efforts to those in need since the inception of this Pandemic… and we continue to do so”, the UNC councillor points out that government’s current support to all MPs is not enough.

“The assistance rendered to the MPs are a drop in the bucket of what is required, as 400 food hampers—reduced from 600—is hardly enough to service a Local Electoral District, far less for an entire Constituency,” Councillor Hosein maintained.

“The UNC representatives have provided thousands of food hampers, masks, sanitizers and cleaning agents among other things. The Prime Minister and his government must act accordingly, and do more to assist those in need,” he said.