Many of Suva’s most vulnerable residents were unable to receive their $7 monthly family assistance allowance due to a processing backlog at the Suva Welfare Office, which has been ongoing for over three months. This situation was highlighted in a report on October 6, 1978.
The increase in recipients arriving at the Bayly Clinic’s welfare office has stressed the clinic’s resources, risking its closure. The welfare department acknowledged that the delays have been present since July 1978, attributing the issues to a severe shortage of staff.
Shirly Hemming from the Bayly Clinic expressed that the clinic was overwhelmed by a surge of individuals in urgent need, who have been unable to obtain their family assistance allowances. Currently, the clinic is supporting 240 families with weekly food packages but is struggling to meet the demand.
To manage the influx, the clinic has had to reduce its supply of rice and dhal. Hemming noted that the clinic receives only $750 each month from the Bayly Trust and is now draining its reserve resources.
“We can only sustain this for another four to five months before we have to close,” she warned. Hemming also observed a stack of unprocessed voucher books at the Government Suva Welfare Office, which have been submitted but are pending signatures for approval.