Income support for hurricane victims to roll out next month

FAMILIES IN ST VINCENT and the Grenadines who were adversely affected by the passage of Hurricane Beryl on July 1, 2024, are to receive further assistance from the government, this time, in the form of income support.

This was disclosed in Parliament on Tuesday October 15,2024 by Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves who said this follows approval by Cabinet of the Hurricane Grant Programme, under which households were assessed and approved for financial aid.

Minister Gonsalves said this grant will be in the sum of $600 per household on the mainland and in the Grenadines.

The income support will roll out in November, and families will receive support for October and November.

“The first payment will be in November, but that November payment will represent two months payment,” the minister explained.

He further pointed out that a similar measure of assistance will be given to “persons who have been unemployed by virtue of Beryl”.

These persons will also receive $600 monthly.

“In the Southern Grenadines and Northern Grenadines, the unemployment household relief grant will cover 492 households,” minister Gonsalves revealed. This income support is also being extended to farmers and fisherfolk across St Vincent and the Grenadines.

These workers, along with displaced hospitality workers, will also get $600 monthly.

Over four thousand farmers and farm workers who have already received production support for their farms,will receive income support as well.

The evaluation for the fishers is incomplete, but persons in this sector are also down to receive income support.

The minister estimated that about 1000 to 1500 fishers will benefit.

Additionally, minister Gonsalves said “fishers and crew will also benefit from the $2 million in the Supplementary Budget for boats and engines and he also assured that engines ordered should be in the state by the end of December 2024.