This qualitative research looked at the problems faced in the management of the financial welfare program in the Cayman Islands and reviewed the existing practices and management of the said financial welfare in the Cayman Islands and other jurisdictions. The research resulted from the fact that despite the availability of generous financial support from the Cayman Islands government, the existing management systems make administration of welfare very ineffective.
The study was driven by three main questions; RQ1. What challenges affect the effectiveness of the financial welfare program in Cayman Islands? RQ2: What effects do the challenges affecting the financial welfare programs have on the welfare beneficiaries? And RQ3, How Can the implementation of PPP initiatives significantly improve the management and delivery of welfare programs in Cayman Islands? No similar research had been undertaken on the topic in the Cayman Islands.
The research was therefore conducted to identify and benchmark the practices in the Cayman Islands welfare program and compare them with best practices of welfare provisions in another context to develop a framework that can be used to improve the management of the financial welfare programme in the Cayman Islands through a public-private partnership. An extensive literature review was conducted to examine existing literature on PPP in a different context and those in the Caribbean to understand what has been done in terms of PPP’s in providing social services within which financial welfare falls and the type of social services that have been examined. The research used online survey questionnaires to collect data from the research participants via SurveyMonkey. 12 eligible participants aged between 18-55 responded to survey questionnaires.
The study found that there was inadequate staffing to process financial welfare applications. The applications took too long to be processed, and the interactions between beneficiaries and welfare administrators is unstable. The application system needs to be upgraded to an online application system. There is the need for more proper living accommodation for the availability of welfare beneficiaries as those available are mostly dilapidated.
The benefit amount amounts were usually insufficient due to the cost of living. There was a lack of sensitivity and professional behaviour from the staff while there are lengthy delays when payment was to be made to vendors including landlords leading uncertainties to the detriment of the beneficiaries.
The financial welfare beneficiaries were sometimes faced with an undue financial burden from having to pay to obtain documents such as birth certificates that are required to make up the application package. Housing Problems persisted where there were few options for people who were on welfare and trying to find accommodation to rent.
There was the need for the implementation of proper legislation which is required to ensure that the financial welfare program is modernized and addressed various types of emergency approvals and quicker processing times rather than waiting on the lengthy process. There was a need for the creation of more PPP initiatives to assist with the needs of the beneficiaries. The creation of PPP with Non-Profit and Private Organizations could have partner ventures to provide adequate housing and to provide much-needed financial contributions.
Policy makers should ensure that there is legislation in place to determine how financial welfare beneficiaries are treated which includes a grievance procedure that addresses aggrieved financial welfare beneficiaries as well as financial welfare administrators. There needs to be a register of complaint held by the NAU which is made accessible. There should be clearer timelines for the application and approval of financial welfare benefits and the legislation should provide for flexibility in the approval process which covers eventualities.
The welfare beneficiaries could benefit from a health care program that would alleviate the stress placed on them having no health care benefits while accessing welfare.
Implementing an income service that could be a buffer and provide security to the beneficiaries and reducing the need for welfare. For example, the wage scale could have a sliding ladder based on numerous criteria such as years in service, qualification and experience, so with a base minimum wage of CI$7, this can then be increased on a chosen criterion, which would mean that the person does not automatically receive CI$7 but what is considered commensurate with the set criteria.
The implementation proper legislation to prevent eviction coupled with the inclusion of rent control legislation. Living accommodation will be secured as landlords cannot evict at will and cannot arbitrarily increase rent to avoid renting to certain classes such as financial welfare beneficiaries. A Payback As You Earn (PAYE) system would act as a deterrent for those people who access financial welfare only because it is available.
It would prevent abuse by those who do not wish to be gainfully employed but rather live off the system. People would be restricted to a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 6 months on welfare while actively seeking gainful employment. Once they are employed, there is a requirement to pay back a portion if they receive welfare for the maximum 6 months.
Future research is needed to determine the willingness of the financial welfare beneficiaries to participate in training that will assist in improving their relationships. A study is needed to determine the viability of a partnership between the government and the private sector entering into a PPP to address the housing crisis affecting the financial welfare beneficiaries.
A study is needed on the amount of financial welfare benefit that would be suitable to cover the beneficiaries’ needs and adjust with inflation. A study is also needed to determine a suitable timeline for the processing of the welfare applications for all parties. Lastly, a study is needed to understand why there is a knowledge gap between the financial welfare administrators and the beneficiaries pertaining to the available services and why the administrators do not try to understand the needs of the financial welfare beneficiaries.