By: Chaïra Flanders
Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 1, 2020 (ZIZ): The St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board has administered a total of 22 million dollars to more than 8 thousand applicants seeking assistance from the COVID-19 Relief Fund.
The COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund provides up to $1,000 to qualifying residents who lost their jobs or have been given reduced hours and are earning less than $1,000 per month.
Payments began on April 20 2020 and covered the months of May and June in the first instance.
Director of the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board Mr. Antonio Maynard gave a breakdown of the payment figures while appearing on the June 30 edition of Leadership Matters on ZIZ.
“For the month of April we paid out 7827 persons, amounting to approximately 7.5 million dollars. For the month of May, we paid 6575 persons amounting to some 6.4 million dollars and for the month of June we are expected to pay approximately 5781 persons”, the Director noted.
He added that persons who did not receive payments in the previous months have also been accounted for as they too will receive their payments.
“We have factored in about 1600 persons who have not been paid for April or May as yet which will bring the total payout for June at around 7.6 million dollars with a grand total payout of approximately 22 million dollars”, he said.
Mr. Maynard also revealed that the as of June 26 2020, new Minister of Social Security, Hon. Eugene Hamilton authorised an additional payment of 7 million dollars to be made towards the COVID-19 Relief Fund in addition to the 15 million that was approved before. He said that following a meeting on the morning of Tuesday, June 30, the Board of Directors were also in agreeance with the Minister and then used the opportunity to announce that payments for the month June are now available until Friday, July 3.
The Director was joined on the panel by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, Financial Secretary Mrs. Hilary Hazel and Deputy Financial Secretary Mrs. Sylvia Manning-Gumbs.