BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, July 14, 2021 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – As the fight to control and contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the Federation continues, Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris is calling on all sectors of society to continue to do their part to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of citizens and residents across St. Kitts and Nevis.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Team Unity-led Government has been doing all it can to keep its people safe through the implementation of restrictive measures and protocols and the provision of necessary assistance to those most impacted by the fallout from the pandemic through the introduction of targeted stimulus relief packages.
Prime Minister Harris, while speaking on the most recent edition of Leadership Matters on Tuesday, July 13, stated that while the Government is doing its part, it will not be successful in this fight against COVID-19 without the support of the people.
The Prime Minister said, “The reality is that no government, no matter how well-staffed, well equipped or well-financed, can by itself fully protect us. It must be a partnership. We the citizens and residents, along with our Government, have to continue demonstrating that sense of shared responsibility of which I often speak, and that we have exhibited in the past. My Government is doing its part. We need every citizen and resident to do his or her part in this continuing all-of-society approach.”
“The stimulus, the easing of restrictions, and the established COVID-19 protocols are testament to your government doing its part. It is for the institutions and businesses, large and small, to adopt and ensure that these protocols are continually and correctly complied with at their places of business. It is important for our citizens and residents to abide by these protocols. This is the tripartite effort, moving together to a common goal that will get us soonest to a new state of normalcy,” Dr Harris added.
Within the last week, the Government introduced its second stimulus relief package which included an income support programme of $15 million to citizens who are unemployed and who have not worked from March 2020; the waiver of fees for small businesses renting from the Government; a further reduction of the VAT rate from 10% to five % for businesses utilizing private commercial space; a fuel subsidy of $400 monthly to be paid to passenger bus operators for the next three months; reinstatement of the annual import duty exemption for 16 tyres, four pairs of brake pads and three pairs of brake shoes over a six month period for passenger bus operators, and support for families with persons living with disabilities.