Published 11 August 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
COVID-19 RELIEF PROGRAMME WAS A SUCCESS FOR AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES SECTORS, SAYS PM HARRIS
Basseterre, St. Kitts, August 11, 2020 (SKNIS): Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, said that the COVID-19 relief programme was a success for the agriculture and fisheries sectors.
The honourable prime minister highlighted this during his Monthly Press Conference at the NEMA Headquarters on August 11, 2020 where he said that “our generous stimulus package has helped farmers and fishers to get back on their feet.”
“First, to reboot the domestic economy, we identified low risk and critical sectors for opening up starting with agriculture and fisheries sectors in which it is easy to do social distancing,” the prime minister said.
He highlighted that with the opening up of the fisheries sector 203 fishermen were assisted by the federal government with approximately three million dollars spent on fish trap wire, fishing line, hooks, rope and safety equipment.
Prime Minister Harris noted as well that the total fish landings for the second quarter of 2020 (April to June) amounted to 144,460lbs valued at $1.7m which was up over the comparative period of 2019 when total fish landings were 144,320lbs valued at $1.6m.
“The fact that the second quarter result was better than that of the comparative quarter in 2019 is attributed to Government’s boosted support for the fisheries sector through the COVID-19 Relief Program,” he said.
Prime Minister Harris also said that $2.1 million was spent on agriculture particularly for crops and livestock production.
