Frontline Workers Honorarium
Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, October 19, 2022: The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the payment of an honorarium of EC$2,000.00 for each of the frontline workers for the services provided to their fellow citizens and residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Frontline Workers are essential workers who have been working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and who have been called to meet the basic needs of the people of the Federation and all inbound and outbound travelers to and from the Federation along the corridor of containment.
The Government has outlined the institutions whose staff may qualify to benefit from the one-time payment of the honorarium.
The qualifying institutions include:
- Customs and Excise Department, Ministry of Finance: particularly Customs officers based at the R.L.B. International Airport and all seaports in the Federation and those who worked as part of the Fusion Center.
- Ministry of National Security:
o St. Kitts and Nevis Immigration Department – all Immigration Officers based at the airports and all seaports in the Federation and those who worked as part of the Fusion Center.
o Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force – Police Officers who maintained law and order during the COVID-19 pandemic response and those who helped to enforce the Statutory Rules and Orders/protocol during 2020-2022.
o St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force – Officers who maintained law and order during the COVID-19 pandemic response and those who helped to enforce the Statutory Rules and Orders/protocol during 2020-2022.
o St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Services
o St. Kitts and Nevis Coast Guard – Officers who monitored the coastal waters and seaports during the COVID-19 pandemic.
o Team of Compliance Officers – Officers who collaborated with the police to enforce the COVID-19 protocols.
o National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) – members of staff who contributed to the COVID-19 Response (activation of the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) Press Briefings on a daily then weekly basis up until 30th March 2022.
o Members of staff of the Ministry of National Security and His Majesty’s Prison – who worked as part of the Fusion Center.
- SCASPA – employees/essential workers based at the R.L.B. International Airport and seaports who interfaced with and facilitated the safe passage of inbound and outbound passengers along the corridor of containment.
- Ministry of Tourism and St. Kitts Tourism Authority – employees/essential workers who were involved in ensuring the safe opening of the Federation’s borders by organizing training of all key tourism stakeholders and those who evaluated and certified COVID-19 approved hotels.
- SKNIS and ZBC Staff – staff members who facilitated the NEOC press briefings and media releases.
- Ministry of Health:
o Health and Emergency Operating Committee – team of essential workers in the Ministry of Health who led the Ministry’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. o Health IT Technicians – team who monitored the health component of the entry forms on the KNAtravelform portal.
o Port Health Surveillance Officers – team based at the R.L.B. International Airport who screened inbound passengers for COVID-19
o Environmental Health Department Team – a team of Environmental Health Officers who monitored all ports of entry, team members who facilitated the training of tourism stakeholders to facilitate border opening, and team members who ensured that establishments were compliant with COVID-19 protocols.
o All Community Based nurses, doctors, and all allied staff – all staff who contributed to the COVID-19 response including the COVID-19 sample-taking teams, the contact tracing team, team of Case Managers and Health Promotion Unit.
o All Institutional (Hospital) Based nurses, doctors, and allied staff – all staff members who contributed to the response from all hospital departments including those working at Pogson Hospital and Mary Charles Hospital.
It is important to note that persons who previously received any form of compensation for work directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic will not be eligible for an honorarium under this initiative.
Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, at his press conference on Monday, October 17, 2022, said the payment of the honorarium is a small gesture of appreciation to those persons who provided invaluable service to the country during the pandemic.
“The objective of the honorarium is to say to those who were on the frontline, who defended us and who risked themselves thank you. No amount of money can ever pay for that, but at least the gesture of appreciation must be given.”
The Ministry of Finance has completed the work necessary to facilitate the payment of the honorarium to the COVID-19 Frontline workers on payday, Friday 21st October, with their regular pay.