Minister Vance Amory: $1000 assistance would be paid later this month

Mass public confusion made landfall in St Kitts and Nevis after Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris announced 'Emergency Relief Fund' to the citizens. In his statement, PM had said that people who are facing financial difficulties due to Tourism sector shut down a consequence of COVID-19 would receive $1000 assistance to survive the pandemic by April 30.

Amid the uncertainty of fake news being publicized all over social media persuading public to gather at social securities office on April 3 in this critical period, Minister with responsibility for Labour and Social Securities clarified that the government would not issue any cheque on April 3. On the same part, Amory said that the amount committed by the government would be paid to beneficiaries within this month (April).

"Let me make it abundantly clear that the $1000 is the amount which would be paid to any person who has suffered a loss of income. Where any worker who receives part-time or reduced income would receive payment, the social security board will top up the amount which is received to make it $1000 in total."

Senior Minister also denounced the fake news being disseminated in St Kitts and Nevis and said: "I have been made aware that there is an organized disinformation campaign being waged against St Christopher and Nevis Social Securities Board and by extension against the people of SKN by illicit actors on social media."

Wilfred Alexander, a single mother of Basseterre, said that single mothers are suffering due to economic losses by COVID-19 and government has not yet decided to provide any sort of assistance to them. "We need the money immediately; there is no time for the calculations are most of us do not have hefty money bundles in our bank accounts. We live day to day, and a prolonged curfew is making us worry a lot as we cannot even purchase medicine or groceries for our families. The government should immediately release the funds to assist single mothers; we cannot wait till April 30."

However, Minister Amory assured that Social Securities would issue whenever the department is ready in the shortest possible time later this month. He also added that the Social Securities is not having all the bank account details for all the workers who have been affected by COVID-19, so he advised that the first tranche is likely to be paid at Social Securities Office.

Another resident of St Kitts and Nevis, Azard Francis, said that every single person in SKN holds a bank account. Instead of asking people to reach out to the social securities office, the department should disburse payments to accounts of sufferers after verification. This would not only contain COVID-19, but it will also make people feel more secure and safe.

Minister Amory further clarified that Emergency Relief Fund released by Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris would be paid to every individual whose income has been impacted by coronavirus with the assistance amount of $1000 each month for three months.

Senior Minister of government said that the government is working extensively to provide better services to the people. "Ministry of Labour is collecting all of the information and will process all the application forms at the Department of Labour, and those would be submitted to social securities for final processing and payment," he added.

However, Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris announced $120 Million COVID-19 Economic Stimulus Package to assist citizens of St Kitts and Nevis in last week of March. The special package comprised around 21 benefits, in which one was income assistance fund to support workers whose income would be impacted by COVI-19, assisting in up to $1000 per month with fund allocation of $15 Million.