The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is pleased to present yet another FIRST in the Federation – a FIRST in the mission to continue the advancement of our people via meaningful poverty alleviation that positively impacts their lives. Before the end of the month of December, the Team Unity Administration will launch the promised $500 per month household support programme for households earning less than $3,000 per month.
A spokesperson for the Government announced that the Poverty Alleviation Programme will be officially launched on Monday, December 24, 2018, in simultaneous public ceremonies on St. Kitts and Nevis, the details of which will be shared in a subsequent announcement. At that ceremony, initial payments by cheque will be made to those applicants to the programme whose application data have been properly verified by the technical and professional staff of the Ministries of Sustainable Development, Social Services, and Finance. A number of collection centres will be set up around the Federation where successful and verified applicants can receive their remittances.
The Ministries involved in the programme wish to remind the general public of the need for applicants to the programme to provide all of the required information that is needed to ascertain whether they are entitled to the household support. It has been noted by the Ministries that quite a number of applicants still have incomplete applications in spite of efforts at follow-up contact to verify information regarding household income, number of working adults in such households, and the details of their employment. The failure to provide this information in a timely manner will delay the start of remittances to persons who have applied and may be eligible to receive funding under the programme. In light of this, the Government urges all applicants to ensure that they have provided full and accurate information relative to their applications, and to cooperate with the Government officials who are charged with the completion of this exercise.
The Ministries of Sustainable Development, Social Services, and Finance document their gratitude to Caribbean Credit Card Corporation (CCCC) who has agreed to partner with the Government in bringing this Poverty Alleviation Programme to fruition via the introduction of an efficient debit card system that will be used to power the programme. It is expected that in the New Year 2019 payments will be done via debit card that will be replenished on a monthly basis.
