By: Spokesman Newsroom
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 speaking on the Wednesday 22nd April 2020 edition of the party-sponsored ‘Issues’ programme aired on Freedom FM, making observations from the party’s newly-launched NextGenSKN Cares COVID-19 Initiative.
“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,” 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 to two areas of concern: 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.
She informed that for the third round of 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, bringing the total number of packages distributed in her constituency to 420.
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.”