Over 13,000 Vincentians are earmarked to receive about $10 million in payments this Christmas in programmes designed to support farmers, workers and vulnerable persons.

 A release from the Office of the Prime Minister said 3,247 households will each receive a cash transfer from the World Food Programme (WFP) as a transition from the existing WFP programme to the Soufriere Transitioning Grant for December 2021. This one-time cash payment covers payments for November and December 2021. A similar one-time cash payment will be made by the WFP programme to 171 other households in the red and orange zones who were unreachable during the registration and assessment process.

Income support will also be provided to small business owners, tourism site vendors and school vendors who were affected by the eruption of La Soufriere.

 Two hundred and twenty-one small business owners in the red and orange volcanic zones will receive one-time cash transfers of $1,200 ($400 for each of the months of October to December 2021).  This cash transfer will be done in two tranches: $800 before Christmas 2021; and $400 at the end of January 2022.

 Ninety-one tourism site vendors will each receive a one-time cash transfer of $900 ($300 for each month of October to December 2021) paid in two tranches: $600 before Christmas; $300 in January 2022.

 Four hundred and ninety school vendors will each receive a one-time cash payment of $600 ($300 for each month November to December 2021) paid in two tranches: $400 before Christmas; $200 in January 2022.

 According to the release, there will also be a distribution of food packages through community groups and churches, particularly in the red and orange zones.

Income support totaling $2,164,000 will be provided to 2164 farmers in the Chateaubelair, Troumaca and Georgetown districts. Each farmer will receive $1000, representing payments for November and December 2021. The 637 farmers in the Chateaubelair District will receive a total of $637,000; the 888 farmers in the Troumaca District will receive a total of $888,000; and the 2164 farmers in the Georgetown district will receive $2,164,000.

Additionally, BRAGSA is carrying out currently a $3 million road-cleaning programme for Christmas 2021.  Over 5,000 persons are employed on this nationally.

 “There are of course other ongoing support programmes (inclusive of the normal safety net supports) which are assisting many more thousands of persons.

 “It is to be noted that pay-day for central government employees is December 16, 2021,” the release said. (CK)