Caribbean Times 49th Issue - Tuesday 12th July 2016

2 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Tuesday 12th July 2016
School Uniform Grant Program progressing well
By Joanna Paris
A number of parents/
guardians have already collected
their vouchers under
the 2016 School Uniform
Grant Programme. The first
week came to an end last
Friday.
The Ministry of Education
has released figures to
show that from July 4 th to
July 8 th , a total of 5, 342
vouchers were distributed
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to members of the public.
The numbers also indicated
that 4, 753 students have received
school uniforms thus
far.
The 2016 School Uniform
Grant Programme will
end on August 31 st.
The ministry has reiterated
that in order to collect
vouchers, a parent or
guardian must provide the
child’s/children’s report
card(s) for Term 3, 2016
or other suitable documentation
from the school, and
a government issued photo
identification of the parent
or guardian.
Non-national parents or
guardians must provide valid
passports with evidence
that they as well as their
child/children are legally
residing in Antigua & Barbuda
and evidence that the
child/ children is enrolled
in a school registered by the
Ministry of Education.
Parents of students who
have transferred to a new
school are required to provide
a copy of a signed letter
from the principal of the
receiving school (child’s
new school) or a signed letter
from the Director of Education.
To register new children
in the programme, parents
must provide a photo ID
of the parent, a birth certificate
or passport for the
child/children who is/are
a national(s) of Antigua &
Barbuda.
Distribution of vouchers
takes place at the
Multi-Purpose Cultural
Centre and Holy Trinity
School Barbuda from Monday
through Thursday 8:30
a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and on
Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Senate debates and passes Evidence
Special Provisions Amendment Bill
By Joanna Paris
The Upper House of Parliament debated
and passed the Evidence Special Provisions
Amendment Bill 2016 on Monday without
any amendments.
One of the main components of the bill
is the provision for persons who are deaf or
mute and other vulnerable witnesses to give
evidence in civil or criminal court proceedings
where necessary.
It will also allow witnesses who are living
overseas to give evidence is cases in Antigua
via teleconference or video link.
Leader of Government Business in the
Senate, Senator Lennox Weston, indicated
that the legislation is welcomed and necessary.
He made special mention of the provisions
covering persons with special needs.
“We are in a society now, where all of us
understand that every member of society regardless
of their deficiencies or special needs
have a right to be cared for and as we try to
update our various legislative documents,
we have to make the necessary changes to
incorporate and provide access and provisions
for them to enjoy the fullness of being
a citizen in Antigua and Barbuda”, explained
Senator Weston.
He also fully endorsed the notion of using
technology in the quest to achieve justice.
Opposition Senator, Jacqui Quinn, also
indicated that her party fully supported the
amendment, which she said is a step further
to having an all-inclusive society.
“This bill is making provisions to accommodate
persons who fall in the category of
vulnerable persons. It is a good thing that we
have signed a number of conventions to protect
persons living with disabilities and so
on. We must continue to advance legislation
to protect and respect these persons in society”,
Senator Quinn emphasized.
Her colleague, Senator Shawn Nicholas,
also welcomed the changes. She noted that
technology plays a vital role in a number of
operations around the globe. She added that
this will also lessen the back log of cases,
since judges will no longer have to wait for
witnesses to travel from overseas to give evidence.