While mothers in this country say they are grateful for the assistance provided by the monthly $500 Baby Care Grant, they point out that the funds may only purchase about two weeks of milk and diapers for a newborn, and even fewer items for a six-month-old toddler.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar launched the grant at the Diplomatic Centre on Wednesday, after announcing the initiative in the 2014-2015 budget last September.
The Baby Care Grant programme, which costs the Government approximately $100 million to implement, also provides training in life skills to parents.
However, the monetary component covers only a small part of a baby’s needs, raising questions as to how much can be covered by families with household incomes of less than $3,000 monthly, the upper limit for those who can access the grant.
A visit to several Port-of-Spain groceries on Thursday revealed that $500 applied to an infant’s basic needs covered only two weeks’ worth of diapers if a baby was changed five times per day, as well as two weeks’ worth of milk and cereal if the baby’s feeding routine was accompanied by breastfeeding.
Natalee Grant, a mother of two, who lives with her partner, nevertheless commended the Government for the assistance.
“At the end of the day, every little bit counts. Even if it is $500, that can help get some of the items you would need for a newborn baby.”
Grant said she typically spent over $1,200 per month on her baby and was concerned that unemployed mothers who were not being supported by their partners would still be in a bad position when it came to feeding their children.
“Still, it is a good idea and the help out is something I am happy about.”
Mother of four-month-old baby girl Shaina, Marcia Henry, said she felt the income cap was too low.
“I mean, I have two children and I work for about $3,500 and after I pay rent and buy food, I have no money in case of emergencies. I am always behind on paying the day care centre and it’s hard,” Henry said.
“I really am happy for the women who will get help from the card but I wish more women could get assistance.”
Grocery owners left in the dark
Three supermarket managers in the capital city said yesterday that they had not yet been properly briefed by the Ministry of the People regarding use of the card. “We were told very informally that the cards could be used for baby items,” said one manager.
“But how do we define baby items, do pharmaceuticals count? It’s to be used as a debit card, so how do we tell our customers what they can or cannot purchase when we have not really been given guidelines?” the manager said.
Two other supermarket managers on Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain, expressed similar concerns and said while they were aware that the cards were to be used for baby items, no list of approved items had been provided to them.