The Minister of Finance of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Dr Irving McIntyre, during the parliament address referred to the Maintenance of Spouses & Parents Bill (Maintenance Act 2023) as a very progressive & flexible bill for the spouses as well as elders.
While highlighting the government’s efforts to cater the needs of the vulnerable, Minister McIntyre said that, “The amount of work that this government is doing whether it is the SDK program for the parents & grandparents or if its defensive benefits which are brought down to 65 years.”
He added that the policies come within the framework of all these regions that they are noting and everyone must also recognize the efforts of the Aegis Chambers out of the five bills they have as it is the only that is done mainly drafted by the 80s Chambers the other’s were done with the legal unit of OECS Commission but this in specific has only been done with the Aegis Chambers.
Notably, Minister McIntyre added that, “The bill also delivers a message to the rest of the society that government can do all that it could do but the society has big role to play in it. Its’ about setting a proper example & its about showing gratitude for our parents and our grandparents and just letting society know that they have to play role regardless of the fact that the government is doing all that it can do but society has to play role in also addressing the such situations in society.”
Considering the bill, Minister McIntyre said that, “Clause 4 says that there is no liability if any person remarries or if the person required with someone else so all those who are the part of the bill that is actually safeguarding both the respondent, it’s safe but in the dependent so there is really a forward-thinking Bill. The bill serves for both and which is really good in that way.”
Whereas, in terms of maintaining the parents and grandparents, Dr McIntyre said that the bill also talks about the capability of doing so and it has by some reasons, whether its age, or where people must do it like that everything has to be considered. The bill also makes allowances and maintain for grandparents but it only meant it for grandparents if not all the children or the grandparents are not there whether it is due to the death, whether it is due to the physical or mental disability so all those things are noted within the bill.