The government of St Vincent has crafted in its recent supplementary estimate 30 distinct and immediate responses to the most pressing demands of the La Soufriere catastrophe.
Finance Minister Camilo Gonsalves in parliament on Tuesday list the most significant 18 individual responses in order of expenditure.
“There is ash cleanup, debris removal, and River cleaning 28 million dollars. Income support to farmers in the red and orange zone of 10.5 million dollars. Meals to be supplied in shelters totaling 7.5 Million dollars. Building materials to homes that have been damaged and affected by the eruption and the mudslides, 6.5 million dollars”.
“Agricultural production support to get our farmers back on their feet and to expand production elsewhere of 5.5 million dollars”.
“Money for the construction and reconstruction of homes five million dollars, another five million dollars for community brigades and Road, cleaning crews, another five million dollars to rehabilitate Bridges and Roads.”
Income support for the farmers.
“For the non-farmers of the red and orange Zone four and a half million dollars, income Support to farmers who live outside of the red and orange Zone.3.8 million dollars”.
“Three and a half million dollars to enhance the set program”.
“Two and a half million dollars to pay for those who are staying in hotels and guest houses and their meals.”
“2.4 million dollars to deal with the important work of logistics and trucking of not only supplies but of waste and debris”.
“2.25 million dollars to purchase prepackaged food boxes that the Ministry of Social Development is distributing”.
“2.25 million dollars to purchase heavy equipment and vehicles, two million dollars to issue food vouchers to vulnerable people, nutritionally. Another two million dollars to reinvigorate and restart the popular love box program”.
“Two million dollars to enhance the work done by the Ministry of Social Development”
Gonsalves said those 18 initiatives of the 30 that are in the budget total a hundred point two million dollars. And therefore represent 85 percent of the entire budget.
