MyVueNews Staff-writer
Basseterre, Wednesday, 18th July, 2018, (MyVueNews.com – During the last general elections in St. Kitts & Nevis, the then opposition Team Unity coalition of parties promoted a suite of social assistance initiatives that they promised would be delivered to the people, if elected.
Three years of being installed into office, the coalition of PAM, CCM and PLP, is now seeking to roll out some of those programs, according to the Prime Minister, Timothy Harris.
One such commitment is to provide EC$3,000.00 per month to families “struggling to make ends meet”.
“Our fiscal house is in order and it is now improving the lives of our people,” boasted the prime minister.
He added, “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.”
In a statement on Tuesday, 17th July, 2018, Harris explained that registration for households which are earning below EC $ 3,000 per month will run for the period of 1st -15th August.
Both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Social Development have been collaborating to prepare the framework for the implementation of the initiative, which falls under the Social Assistance for Economically Challenged Households programme.
Both government entities have been partnering on effecting an appropriate questionnaire that will provide the critical data undergirding the delivery of programme.
It was indicated that thirteen (13) community centers have been 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 said a statement.
For those areas where no community centres are available, such as for the people from Mansion, Christ Church and Molineux, they will be served at the Estridge Primary School and the Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School.
The Community Centre at Lodge Project will be registering persons from Ottley’s, 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.