GOVERNMENT KEEPING FAMILIES AFLOAT
Approximately 4 thousand families in the red, orange and yellow zones affected by the eruption of La Soufriere will continue to receive income support from the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines for the next 6 months.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves noted that this is being done because of the Government, through the Minister of Finance Hon. Camillo Gonsalves negotiated with the World Bank under the Volcano Eruption Emergency Programme, “we going to give a person in the household a bank card through the Bank of St Vincent and the Grenadines”. The money would be placed on the card and they can access the funds from there.
So far, Gonsalves said 1200 cards have already been prepared and will be issued by the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the head of households by the end of the month.
Gonsalves mentioned that the list of recipients is currently being updated and finalized, and “the amount of money will be determined by the size of the household… ‘hopefully, we will start to be able to pay the money by July and make sure they get it by December”.
The Prime Minister said this sort of move is unprecedented anywhere else in the Caribbean. Gonsalves was speaking on Star Radio’s “Morning Scoop” earlier today.
