The Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services announces the promotions of Dr. Hafeeza Hosein Shah to the office of Director of Social Welfare and Mrs. Helen Francis-Baptiste to the office of Deputy Director Social Welfare. The long
overdue promotions form part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to overhaul and address the administration and delivery of social welfare services and to provide a more efficient and peoplecentred service across the country.
Dr. Hosein Shah has served in the Public Service of Trinidad and Tobago since August 4, 1998 and brings extensive experience in social welfare administration, social protection, poverty reduction and public policy. Since 2017, she has served as a Senior Supervisor within the Ministry, working across several Local Public Assistance Boards and thus gaining significant experience in
social welfare administration and service delivery.
Dr. Hosein Shah has expertise in the development, implementation and evaluation of cash transfer and poverty alleviation programmes, as well as social protection and poverty reduction measures. She has also conducted, published and presented papers locally, regionally and internationally on topics including cash transfer programmes, poverty reduction, social protection, artificial
intelligence and human intelligence, mixed-methods research and social science research design. Dr. Hosein Shah has contributed to the Ministry’s work in service delivery, teaching, research and administration.
In her new capacity, Dr. Hosein Shah will focus on strengthening the delivery of social welfare services, particularly for persons experiencing poverty, older persons and persons with disabilities. “My aim is to reduce the backlog of applications, improve the efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery, and reduce the waiting time for processing grant applications. I look forward to
working with all stakeholders in mitigating poverty in Trinidad and Tobago,” Dr. Hosein Shah said.
Mrs. Helen Francis-Baptiste brings thirty (30) years of service in the Social Welfare Division to her new role as Deputy Director. During her career in the Social Welfare Division, she progressed through the ranks to Social Welfare Supervisor III, gaining extensive experience in social welfare administration, service delivery and the supervision of Local Public Assistance Boards.
Mrs. Francis-Baptiste has consistently championed the delivery of social welfare services with dignity, compassion, respect and confidentiality, particularly for persons and families experiencing challenging circumstances. She has also contributed to initiatives aimed at strengthening social welfare systems and improving service delivery, including work related to disability assistance,
social protection payments, information-sharing and verification processes, staff development and operational improvements.
For Mrs. Francis-Baptiste, public service extends beyond policies and procedures; it is about making a meaningful difference in the lives of people. She believes that effective social welfare should not only provide assistance, but should empower individuals and families and contribute to positive transformation.
The welcomed promotions are expected to strengthen leadership within the Social Welfare Division and support the re-engineering of social services processes towards streamlining, improving operational efficiency and delivering more timely and responsive social welfare
services.