SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICIALS GIVE UPDATE ON COVID-19 RELIEF FUND ON WINN FM INSIDE THE NEWS
TOP SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICIALS GIVE UPDATE ON COVID 19 RELIEF FUND ON WINN FM’S INSIDE THE NEWS
BASSETERRE ST. KITTS, 18TH MAY 2020 — On Saturday’s edition of Inside the News, the Director of Social Security, Mr Antonio Maynard, Deputy Director, Mr Vernel Powell and Prime Minister, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris provided an update on Social Security as it relates to the processing of claims for the Covid 19 Relief Fund.
As panelists on the program, the Director, Mr Maynard, the Deputy Director Mr Vernel Powell and the Prime Minister of St Kitts Nevis, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris took the opportunity to inform the public of the role of Social Security to provide assistance to working persons whose employment has been impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic and to update applicants on the progress of the payments made thus far. An additional announcement for the inclusion of Pensioners who are still employed and receiving pensions of less than $1000 was made. A subsequent release on that matter to follow.
The Director noted that Social Security has established a fund of $15M for this purpose. He alluded that this effort is supported across the region as other social security organisations have done the same in their respective island states, noting however that the amount paid in St Kitts Nevis is far more substantial than paid across other Caricom member states. Deputy Director, Mr Vernel Powell supported the Director’s statement by quoting the subsection of the Benefits Regulations that gives the organization the legal framework for the execution of such as a duty.
“In our Benefit Regulation under Part 3 – Benefits, Section 9, Subsection 2, it states: For the purpose of this regulation an insured person shall be treated as incapable of work on any day during which that person is required to abstain from work because of being under observation by reason of being a carrier or because of having been in contact with a case of infectious disease,” Mr Powell indicated.
The grant of up to $1000 is payble monthly for three months (April, May, June) in the first instance to all working persons including registered Self Employed persons and now Pensioners whose income has been adversely impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Prime Minister, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, commended the organization for its foresight for and its role to provide working persons with financial assistance at an unprecedented time as this.
Payments begun on Monday April 20th with continuous daily uploads to banks and dispatch of cheques. As of Friday May 15th, 2020, a total 6195 applications were received by Social Security. Of those, 4579 were paid amounting to a payout thus far of $4,503,437.00.
Payments for May will begin on Wednesday May 20th. Retroactive payments will also be paid for the period April to June 2020.
Applicants with questions or concerns may contact the Department of Labour on St Kitts at 869 662 2075, Department of Labour on Nevis at 469 5521 or Social Security at 869 465 2535 0r 667 2535.
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For more information, please contact:
Public Relations Department, St. Christopher & Nevis Social Security Board
Phone: 869 465 2535 ext. 2603, 2604, 2605 – St. Kitts
869 469 5245 ext. 3402, 3400, 3410 – Nevis
Email: pubinfo@socialsecurity.kn
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