Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 17, 2018 (SKNIS): The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is one step closer to fulfilling a key policy agenda item that will provide much needed assistance to lower income families who are struggling to make ends meet.
During his monthly press conference on Tuesday, July 17, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris announced thatregistration for households which are earning below EC $ 3,000 per monthwill run for the period of August 01-15. The initiative falls under the Social Assistance for Economically Challenged Households programme.
Prime Minister Harris recognized persons who assisted the government in ensuring that the programme was officially initiated.
“I record my appreciation to Permanent Secretary, Beverly Harris and her team at the Ministry of Sustainable Development and the team at the Department of Social Development for partnering on effecting an appropriate questionnaire that will provide the critical data undergirding the delivery of another major promise by Team Unity,” said the Minister of Finance.
Dr. Harris explained that his administration is on the right path to assisting persons within the Federation.
“Team Unity knows what it is doing. We are doing what we say we will do. And we are doing more for our people than any other government in the region has been able to do. We are able to do these things because we have managed well,” he said. “Our fiscal house is in order and it is now improving the lives of our people. We will continue to help all our people but our priority will be to serve the poor, the elderly and the young. Indeed we will enable those who are vulnerable to better their lives.”
Thirteen (13) community centres were identified by the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Affairs. The full list of venues for the registration programme will be revealed shortly by the Ministry of Social Development.
“Where Community Centres are unsuited for the task, alternative venues will be provided. For example, there is no Community Centre in Mansion, Christ Church nor Molineux, in these cases we proposed to serve the people from the Estridge Primary School, and the Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School at Molineux respectively. The Community Centre at Lodge Project will be registering persons from Ottleys, Lodge Project and Lodge Village,” said Dr. Harris.
Enumerators will be present in each of the community centers on St Kitts to help fill questionnaires that need to be completed by each household as a first step in the process. Individuals are asked to take note that only one questionnaire should be completed by each household. The data collected will later be verified and analyzed to ensure that only suitably qualified persons benefit and that there is no abuse.
