The Ministry of Social Development and Family Services says 36-year-old Olanda Speedwell is still a client of the ministry, having received a public assistance grant in December 2022 after her disability grant was discontinued in May 2022.
Olanda Speedwell, 36, did not have a positive Christmas experience this year. Speedwell, who lives at Leon Street, Laventille, told Newsday it was “bad” because of “personal drama” but otherwise Christmas was “normal” for her and her three daughters ages 11, 12, and 14. As a special needs individual, she used to get a $2,000
The story of Olanda Speedwell, a 36-year-old disabled mother of three who lost her disability assistance grant for selling water, is a reminder that delivering welfare to needy recipients must be a nuanced process instead of hardline. Ms Speedwell told Newsday that she was selling water for a meagre profit to make ends meet when