Published 8 April 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR EXPLORES OPTIONS TO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESSES NOT REGISTERED WITH SOCIAL SECURITY
Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 08, 2020 (SKNIS): The Department of Labour is currently exploring options to best assist small businesses within the Federation that are not registered with the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board, and are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Senior Minister and Minister of Labour, the Honourable Vance Amory.
“It is unfortunate that these small businesses have not registered with Social Security, but we are still seeking to find a way once they make a claim to channel that support from a source within government for them to get some relief,” said Senior Minister Amory, while responding to a caller’s question during Tuesday’s (April 07) edition of ‘Leadership Matters’, a virtual forum on ZIZ TV.
“Because we understand very clearly that with the certain fall off of economic activity that small businesses whether they are registered or not will have a downturn in their income flow to their businesses and we will certainly look at how these persons could be helped in those circumstances, he added.”
Senior Minister Amory added that despite not being registered, the Department of Labour will work to ensure that small businesses are looked after.
“We are working on a tranche, which we will have to get disbursed once we have persons who make an application. The application can be sent to the Department of Labour and we will then process it… but it will not fall under the same income support as for workers and self-employed persons who are registered,” said Senior Minister Amory.
He reiterated that “the application must be made and we will certainly seek to find a way of assisting such persons.”
