Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 17, 2020 (SKNIS): On Monday, April 20, 2020, the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board will begin disbursing funds to workers who applied for relief under the Social Security COVID-19 Emergency Fund. The process will continue throughout the week as additional applications are verified.
Persons who already had their applications processed will see the funds being deposited directly to their bank accounts. This includes full-time and part-time employees who were laid off; employees with reduced hours now earning less than $1,000 per month; persons whose positions were made redundant; and self-employed person registered with social security.
Director of the Board, Antonio Maynard, added that in the event where an individual has no bank account, cheques will be delivered directly to the recipients.
Some 2,000 applications were received by the Department of Labour from workers seeking the top-up of their income that has fallen below $1,000. Registered self-employed persons applied directly to Social Security.
Senior Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Security, the Honourable Vance Amory, said thousands will benefit from this emergency relief that will run up to 3 months in the first instance. He added that given the sheer number of beneficiaries as well as the guidelines of social distancing, the Board decided that direct bank deposits were best.
Honourable Amory said that the government remains committed to delivering in the best way possible for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis, particularly during this global pandemic, and going forward.
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