Minister of Social Care, Christopher Sinckler (second from left), Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Sonja Welch and Managing Director of the Insurance Corporation of Barbados Limited (ICBL), Wismar Greaves on tour of the Weymouth Corporate Centre. The building is owned by ICBL.
Those members of the public, who rely on the services offered by the Welfare Department, will soon have those services provided again, this time at the Weymouth Corporate Centre located at Roebuck Street.
Word of this came today from Minister of Social Care, Christopher Sinckler, after a tour of the proposed offices at the Corporate Centre.
Stating that the department had undergone some dislocation and would now have temporary offices at the Corporate Centre, Mr. Sinckler said family and counselling services would be available there, while the Accounts Section would be situated on the Fifth Floor of the Old NIS Building on Fairchild Street.
The Minister also offered an apology to users of the department’s services.
"We … as a Government … apologise to the public for the dislocation which has occurred, and any level of discomfort which they would have encountered because of it," he said.
Noting that the problem with accommodation for staff had been ongoing for about seven years, Mr. Sinckler said it had been a long-held view by management that "the solution to the problems at the Coles Building was for the building to be vacated".
He added: "I want to say today, that we are seeing an end very quickly to the dislocation and we should be up and running in another few days, hopefully, by next week this time.?? These are fairly salubrious surroundings; the location is ideal and it is not too far out of town… We want the public to know that, as soon as word is given that it is fully functional again, they can come and get their services as normal."
Some 20 staff members of the Welfare Department will be relocated to the Weymouth Corporate Centre, where they will occupy less than 4,000 sq. ft. of space. This includes areas for counselling, a waiting and reception area for clients, and general offices.??
It is expected that a permanent home for the Welfare Department would be sited on the Ground Floor of the Old NIS Building, Fairchild Street.