Local government and partners set to provide humanitarian assistance amid COVID-19 pandemic |18 April 2020

Mrs Jeannevole, flanked by PS William-Melanie (left) and PS Bonne during the press conference yesterday (Photo: Louis Toussaint)

The department of local government, together with other stakeholders under the Silver Command Post, are geared up to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable persons in need, at a time where a prohibition on movement order applies, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a press conference held yesterday afternoon, principal secretary in the department of local government, Marie-Celine Jeannevole, joined by principal secretary for social affairs Linda William-Melanie and principal secretary for family affairs Marie-Josée Bonne, noted the establishment of new mechanisms, according to the department’s operational framework which is set at district-level and the districts then sub-divided into sub-districts, whereby focal persons of contact have been identified to facilitate access to the assistance.

“According to the National Emergency Integrated Plan, the local government is the leading agency for humanitarian assistance in the country and this is done in collaboration and partnership with other stakeholders such as the department of social affairs, the department of family affairs, department of poverty alleviation, Agency for Social Protection (ASP), Agency for Prevention of Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation (Apdar) and other agencies such as the Red Cross Society of Seychelles and the Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (Ceps),” Mrs Jeannevole said.

“All non-health related issues should come through the mechanism at district-level which is then forwarded to the Central Command Post where there are representatives of the different stakeholder organisations and services and depending on the areas of concern or issues or even recommendations made, this is then forwarded to the respective heads of department,” Mrs Jeannevole explained.

According to Mrs Jeannevole, the department has over the past week experienced a significant increase in requests for assistance and have over an eight-day period between April 8 and April 16 recorded 290 cases of differing nature, some relating to sanitation issues, others requesting passes and documentation to enable them to move around, as well as 141 cases of persons seeking other forms of assistance.

“The objective of the mechanism is to leave no one behind. Humanitarian assistance does not only comprise money or food but there is the provision of non-food assistance and the provision of psycho-social support, all of which is catered for under the mechanism,” Mrs Jeannevole added.

In order to benefit from assistance from the department and stakeholder agencies, persons and vulnerable persons are encouraged to contact the district administration in their district and set out their need, to be communicated to the department by district administrators. The request for assistance will then be remitted by the department to the relevant agency with which it partners. Before they are provided assistance, the situation of each applicant is evaluated and they are then assisted accordingly.

As highlighted by PS Bonne, financial assistance is not available directly under the department of local government but persons requiring such will have to apply for welfare assistance under ASP as per the usual procedure.

She however noted that families and persons in need may be assisted with commodities, as well as other assistance, for instance a person to pick up groceries and prescriptions for an elderly citizen who may be residing alone.

In addition to different forms of assistance, the department and its partners have earmarked locations on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue for persons who may find themselves without shelter as stricter measures restricting movement between 7pm and 6am came into force yesterday.

“As you are aware, this evening we are moving into more restricted movement so we hope each and every citizen of Seychelles respects the regulation established by the department of health and that we are all at home by 7pm. There may be some people loitering around and in the event that this occurs, we have the existing night shelter which is operational and can cater for some more persons and we also have made available other shelters in the event that it is required. We sincerely hope that we can all play our role and abide by what had been proposed by the Ministry of Health,” she concluded.

Laura Pillay