Applicants complain of delay in Karidat assistance

By Marconi Calindas
Reporter

Applicants for food assistance swarmed the Karidat Office early Monday morning after being reportedly told that the agency might be releasing assistance once it resumes office this week. They went home angry and disappointed, however, after being told that they won’t be getting any this week.

Karidat director Angie Guerrero said her office had announced that the release of the assistance would resume early this month but this has been delayed due to new procedures.

“This year we have to go through the [Attorney General’s Office],” she said, “We need to sign a memorandum of agreement.”

Guerrero said she went up to the AGO Monday morning to follow up on the funds but failed to meet with attorney general Pamela Brown. She said she went up again in the afternoon but was told that the meeting has been rescheduled to next week.

Guerrero assured applicants that she would contact the media when services resume.

That is small consolation, however, for some of the applicants, who had queued up outside Karidat office as early as 7am on Monday.

According to one applicant, the office told them that Karidat will not be able to provide assistance this week due to the revised procedures or policies, which, according to them, was not discussed with them. They were only told that they should wait for the announcement in the newspaper regarding the release of the funds next week.

Guerrero said she has already told the applicants “that we will notify them through media as soon as AGO signed the MOA.”

“They don’t want to listen to me, I’m trying my best to help them. I’m still waiting for the AG’s office. We cannot extend the money until it is signed,” she said.

Guerrero said it would be useless for the applicants to wait in the office until the papers are signed by AGO. The memorandum of agreement will be Karidat’s go signal to release the funds for food assistance and other assistance under the Social Services Office operations.

“I hope by next week, we would have everything in place. Then we can extend the money once we are in place,” she said. “However, due to the delay of signature from the AGO, they were not able to extend the money.”

Karidat extends assistance to less fortunate residents on the island, including those unemployed or whose services have been terminated.