Saint Lucia: The Government of Saint Lucia updated the readers about the Income Support Programme and how many payments they have cleared so far.
According to the update, more than 300 Saint Lucian households received a one-time $1500 payment. Every household received the payment as part of the post-COVID Income Support Programme.
Since the beginning of the programme on Saturday, December 23, 2023, more than $450,000 has been paid to more than 300 households.
Notably, each recipient received the payment before the Christmas Day.
The Prime Minister of Saint Lucia – Philip J Pierre, lead a Cabinet of Ministers and a government which is committed to developing and making strategies to improve the quality of life for the most vulnerable.
As per the sources, there are thousands of people in the informal sector who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reportedly, many of these informal workers slipped through the cracks and did not get any benefit from the previous Income Support Programmes.
As per the latest update, the disbursements for the Income Support Programme will continue into the New Year also.
Earlier, the Government of Saint Lucia confirmed the extension of the deadline for the submission of the forms of the Income Support Programme to January 2024.
The Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment previously shared the following extensive requirements to be eligible for the Saint Lucia Income Support Programme. The criteria are based on different norms that include individuals who lost their income sources during COVID-19.
- People who have lost income source due to COVID-19
- People who became unemployed or received no salary due to Long Covid
- People who did not benefit from the Income Support Programme-1 (ISP-1) or Economic Relief Programme (ERP)
- Households with children aged 12 and under who lost a parent or guardian due to a COVID-19 (related) death
The eligible applicants were asked to visit the ICD Centers located in Garrand, Monchy, Anse La Raye, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort Town, Vieux-Fort La Ressource and Micoud from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Income Support Programme’s objective is to provide much-needed financial assistance to households or people from the informal sector.
“This programme is a testament to Ministry, ensuring the overall welfare of the citizens” – Dr Charmaine Hippolyte Emmanuel
The government of Saint Lucia began the Income Support Programme 2023 under the project ‘Safety Nets for Vulnerable Populations Affected by the Coronavirus’.
