Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 11, 2020 (SKNIS): Claims for Severance Payment continue to be processed at the Department of Labour in St. Kitts as applications near the 2,000 mark.
On the November 10, 2020, edition of the syndicated radio and television programme Leadership Matters, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, revealed that “1,985 claims for severance payment have been received” to date.
He added that the staff at the Department of Labour has already processed 841 claims.
“The operations continue, and all legitimate claims will be appropriately dealt with so again we call for patience as the necessary auditing and other processes are conducted with respect to these claims,” Dr. Harris stated.
This month’s update is notable given that at the Prime Minister’s Monthly Press Conference on October 01, 2020, it was reported that as at September 22, 2020, the Department of Labour had received a total of 1,800 claims with 425 of those claims processed.
At the press conference, the prime minister reported that the Protection of Employment Act will be revisited to address several issues, including the Severance Payment Fund. The revisions are expected to include the sustainability of the Fund, eliminating abuses, payout processing, and recalibrating the Fund in the context of emergencies and pandemics.