Published 12 April 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
COVID-19 response: PAP and SS Emergency Wage Fund have received over 1,500 applications
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, April 12, 2020 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — A number of persons whose incomes have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic have come forward to seek assistance from the recently announced Team Unity’s stimulus package through the Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) and the Social Security Emergency Wage Fund.
Reporting to the nation when he appeared on the Inside the News Programme on WINN FM hosted by Mr Clive Bacchus on Saturday April 11, Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and Minister of Sustainable Development, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, said that over 500 new applications had been received for the Poverty Alleviation Programme, and over 1,000 applications for the Social Security Emergency Wage Fund.
“Our stimulus package targeted on a number of areas intending to bring relief to those most significantly impacted by the COVID-19,” said Prime Minister Harris. “Those who are most directly impacted would have been those for example in the hotel sector, in manufacturing, where as a result of COVID-19 the operations were either significantly curtailed or the operations were closed for the time being.”
As part of the $120m stimulus package, the Team Unity Administration announced that its Poverty Alleviation Programme would open up to ensure that those persons who would have now lost income had an opportunity to apply if they met the criteria already established as a result of their lower income.
In order to assist, the government established a system online which allowed those who had access to the technology to make the application even when the country is in shutdown.
“I am advised by the Permanent Secretary that we have an additional 500 applicants and we are attempting to have those processed at the time of the April pay out,” announced the Honourable Prime Minister. He further explained that the Government intends to bring forward that date in April earlier than was originally planned for the beneficiaries to be paid their sums.
As for the $15 million Social Security Emergency Wage Fund, which will pay EC$1,000 per month to employees whose incomes have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Labour is the agency at the frontline receiving the information from the employers and then presenting that to the Social Security for processing.
“A number of employers have been slow, and we understand that the existence of curfew also may have hindered the efficiency with which these things are being done,” observed Dr Harris. “But already there is a substantial large pool both drawn from St. Kitts and Nevis, about 1000-plus employees whose applications have been presented and those are being processed.”
Prime Minister Harris noted that the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis’ offer of EC$1,000 top up support is much higher compared to what other countries in the region are offering. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is offering EC$300, Barbados is offering Barbados $600 (equivalent of EC$810.75), while the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, is offering the equivalent of EC$603.75.
“St. Kitts and Nevis has been the most generous, and so I want to commend the Board of Social Security and the Minister of Social Security, the Hon Vance Amory, and the Cabinet for putting in place the most significant package to be offered to persons who have been affected,” said Dr Harris.
