St. Kitts-Nevis Residents still waiting for COVID-19 financial assistance promised since March 24
Basseterre, St Kitts – While the top brass of the Royal St Christopher and Nevis Police Force is patting itself on the back with regard to the recent zoning regulations that were put into effect on Wednesday and Thursday, it has not provided a shred of evidence of public satisfaction.
Over the past few days scores of residents have expressed dissatisfaction with the plan which has seen a relaxation of the curfew and non-adherence to the social distancing guidelines which could result in the potential spread of the coronavirus to communities.
Several residents who have lost their jobs with the closure of hotels, restaurants, manufacturing plants, taxi and bus services, vending and other businesses, have taken aim at Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Timothy Harris for instituting hunger by not keeping his promise of financial assistance made since March 24.
Veteran St Kitts businessman, Canady Browne is of the view that “with people having to wait up to 4 hours in longer lines over the last two days to shop for groceries, or enter the banks, I believe the zoning on St Kitts did not work as expected.”
“I believe the two zones for 40,000 people were insufficient. Nevis is half the size of St Kitts and is believed to have 12,000 people and had the same two zones shopping on the same two days. Nevisians banking options are limited to Charlestown,” Browne posted on his Facebook page.
“It was a serious oversight by the police to implement only two zones for St. Kitts. They were obviously challenged on the first day to control the lines and the traffic from zone two who tried entering Basseterre when they should not,” said Browne, adding:
“We are now indoors for the next eight days to consume all that were bought during the two day ease. Next week the government may present strategy #4, hope it’s better than the first three.”
Canady Browne’s view was supported by Alvan Browne in Nevis.
“Got your point because even in this time of shopping for the general public the hours were cut. Yes, we are smaller in Nevis and with fewer supermarkets as well. So we do need time too. I agree with you on Kitts more time needed.”
Cleo Cogger: “Schools are split in zones for Inter-Primary and Children Carnival, yet common sense was not applied when it came to such an important ticklish situation. Bermuda is smaller than St Kitts and Nevis, yet they get to go shopping alphabetically.”
Mommadscar Done Give Nisbett agreeing with the two Browne’s pointed out that a draft which was leaked to the public was later changed.
With word of a two-week lock down, Winter Pollock raised the issue of the inability of scores of persons, especially women who are head of households to feed their families.
Since an address by Prime Minister Harris on March 24, that some EC$120 million has been set aside to provide financial assistance, not one cent has been given as applications have to be made to Social Security and the country has been in a lock-down mode since then.
“Mr Prime Minister please bear in mind some people have no money to cope with this lock down and the little money some of them have is being spent to buy food, water, gasoline to cope with lock down you set in place before we understand that the lock down is a strategy to help stop the spread of the corona virus (COVID-19) but for the people who have no money, I hope this $1000 that was promised will be paid out before another lock down to help those in need of buying more food and other necessary supplies to cope with the lock down,” said Winter Pollock on April 7.
With a new lockdown in effect until April 16, Pollock again pleaded with the prime minister to keep his promise.
“Another lock down coming into effect from Thursday 9th @7:01 pm until Thursday 16th 6:00 am but yet no one cares or shows sympathy about the people who monies are being spent but no money coming in how are some of us to eat. How are we to survive during this pandemic Mr PM,” said Pollock, who added: “It is not everyone at home works for government or is an essential worker so how are these people suppose to get by Mr PM.”
“I am not bashing the PM, but I’m asking general questions as a concerned citizen of St Kitts and Nevis asking these questions so that myself and fellow citizens could get some sort of answer.”
“How are single parents suppose to feed their child/children without money? What if these parents get desperate in an effort to feed their child/children end up committing a crime just to feed the young ones who will be the one to blame if something like this happens?”
Repeating Dr Harris’ mantra to ‘Stay at home, Stay at home,Stay at home,’ the question was asked “What about telling us how to come by the money that was promised. People have child/children to feed Mr PM.”
Ladi Buffy Liburd: “I think since there is no forthcoming to when the money will be paid, he need to do a $1000.00 credit for each affected and qualified applicants with the major supermarkets and organize it by last name. Hunger gonna kill more people than the Corona.”
Melvern Warner: “Government ain’t got no plans for young or old people, only to beg and bribe the people to keep them in. Family and close friends are their priority.”
Denise Hodge: “I so xxxxx fed up of all these lies.”
Shawna Powell: “The government not even making an effort to start sending out the stimulus package to the people. If they keep locking down how are they supposed to file knowing ain’t everyone get computer or internet, just saying.”
M H: “Is like Harris has morphed into (former prime minister) Kennedy Simmonds in the period 1980 to 1995, when Simmonds would close down all the Cable TV channels and one can only see his face. Swing to 2015 to 2020 – everytime we tune in to ZIZ or listen to WINNFM, Sugar City Rock, is only Harris again, Harris again, we fed up.”
Mirelees Dolphin in his FaceBook posting noted that hard working people who pay social security and taxes, should not have to wait so long to receive assistance.
He pointed to a vexing issue where former gang members are being paid weekly by the government to stop commit crimes.
“There are ones who never work in their lives, pay nothing and are reaping. I just saw one who spent his whole young life in jail but today can be pulling wads of of taxpayers money from his pocket and flaunting it around buying drinks, but the ordinary hard working single mothers must starve. This can’t be right.”
