BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 24th April 2020)- Deputy Leader of the Opposition St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) and Parliamentary Representative of Constituency Two (Central Basseterre) Marcella Liburd  has pointed to independent turned vulnerable individuals affected due to unemployment matters concerning the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Additionally, she is putting it to the government that individuals are having issues accessing the $1000 monthly stimulus package.

Liburd was at the time speaking on the Wednesday 22nd April 2020 edition of  the party-sponsored ‘Issues’  programme aired on Freedom FM in making observations from the party’s newly- launched project dubbed NextGenSKN Cares COVID-19 Initiative, aimed to assist persons in need which saw a third round conducted the day before (Tuesday).

“One of the things that I have noticed is that even persons who were normally independent are now in the vulnerable group because they are not working; not getting an income at all or their income has been reduced and so it pushes them into that vulnerable bracket, and so for some of them it is very difficult at this time because they are so accustomed to be very independent minded, and so our hearts really go out to them and wherever we can help them we do as well in whatever way we can,” Liburd remarked.

“In going around yesterday, I also noticed that there are many persons who were crying out because they have not been able to access this $1000 or any part of it from this stimulus package,” she said.

Liburd pointed two areas of concerns as being no access to fill forms online and being disqualified for various reasons noting that there are mixed messages about who qualifies thus leaving persons confused.

In touching on the reasoning  behind the party’s care package initiative, she stated: “Recognising that this COVID-19 was going to severely disrupt  and out thousands of our citizens out of work, we foresaw that they would be bearing hardship  that would bring hardship and suffering on our people, and so we immediately  launched this care initiative  to bring some relief to those who are most vulnerable the elderly persons with disabilities , the shut-ins, the unemployed  and those who were laid off and who continue to be laid off and those who have been put  on reduced hours of work.”

She informed that for the third round of these care packages in Central Basseterre, the “response has been overwhelming. People are grateful for the assistance, and so we hear daily cries for help and we will continue to assist in whatever ways we can.”

Liburd said 100 packages were distributed which brings the total number of packages distributed in her constituency 420.

She said following this week’s outing, a list has been made to include others “and so we’re doing everything we can to ensure that more of these care packages are distributed to those who still didn’t get an opportunity to get one.”

The former government health minister said local pumpkin, sweet potatoes and carrots were included in the packages “which we thought would help to boost the immune system of people in fighting this virus and at the same time, it also helps to promote our local farmers and give them an opportunity in these very difficult times as well because we know that they too are experiencing such difficulty at this time.”

Additionally, she disclosed that there are plans for another initiative which she has already brought to the attention of the Party, expected to come on stream soon.

According to information coming from the SKNLP’s public relations office, the initiative was launched on Friday 3rd April under the auspices of Deputy Party Leader and Constituency Representative for Constituency Two (Central Basseterre) Marcella Liburd, Constituency One (East Basseterre candidate Dr. Geoffrey Hanley and Constituency Four candidate Steve Wrensford, of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, on WINNFM Radio and via Facebook live.

As gathered, the objective of this first NextGenSKN project is the distribution of about 4000 care packages to the socioeconomic displaced employees of the hospitality and manufacturing enclave sectors, most of whom are relatively young and receiving minimum wage as well as the elderly, shut-ins, mentally challenged and less abled.

On Saturday 4th April, all eight (8) members/Candidates of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party’s NextGenSKN Team delivered simultaneously their first wave of over 1000 Care packages around the entire island of St Kitts, to deserving citizens and residents living in the capital city Basseterre and its suburbs, and throughout our various towns and villages.