The government will provide financial assistance to approximately 700 families in the Green Zone and throughout the Grenadines.
On Friday, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves disclosed the information.
“The Green Zone and the Grenadines will ask, well, Comrade Ralph, what about us? We had some difficulties as well. It is somewhat different, they would admit, from the red, orange, and yellow zones”.
“As part of our program, we borrowed money from the CDB. A bit more expensive than World Bank money, but with half the interest rate”.
According to Gonsalves, CDB money has a shorter term with higher interest but is still considered a soft loan.
Approximately 700 families would be assisted through a particular program and with CDB’s financing, Gonsalves said.
On June 14, the government announced that approximately four 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.
So far, some 1200 bank 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.
Last Wednesday around one million dollars in financial assistance was provided to more than 200 Arrowroot farmers from North Windward.
The assistance was provided to farmers who suffered when the La Soufriere volcano erupted, which disrupted farming, harvesting, manufacturing, and post-manufacturing of arrowroot and its byproducts.