Nevis to benefit from Social Security food voucher initiative

NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (July 08, 2021) – – The island of Nevis will be benefitting from the $275,000 food voucher initiative recently announced by the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board.

Mrs. Janelle Lewis–Tafari, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development and Gender Affairs in the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis explained the voucher distribution process during the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) briefing on July 07, 2021.

“It will be a total of 1,300 vouchers and because the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board serves both islands, there had to be a split between St. Kitts and Nevis for voucher distribution.

“So the split they decided on was an 80/20 split. So 80 percent of the vouchers will be for families in St. Kitts and 20 percent of the vouchers will go to families in Nevis,” she said.

The Social Security Board said the initiative is its social corporate response to the hardship persons are experiencing due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19 in the Federation which has again impacted the entire economy.

The Social Security Board allocated $250,000, and RAMS Supermarkets and Horsford’s Valu Mart joined in the relief effort by contributing $25,000, bringing the total output to $275,000. 

Approved recipients will receive food vouchers valued at $200 and the supermarkets will add an extra ten percent to the value when they are redeemed, Mrs. Lewis–Tafari noted.

Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, thanked the Social Security Board for aiding the citizens and residents of the Federation impacted by the economic fallout due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Social Security continues to demonstrate that in times of national distress it is our best friend. I thank the Board for this magnanimous gesture which will help to ensure that no family in St. Kitts or Nevis goes hungry in this difficult time,” he said.

Hon. Eric Evelyn, Minister of Social Development in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) also thanked the Board for the meaningful gesture. He said once the vouchers are prepared the Ministry of Social Development along with the Nevis Disaster Management Department (NDMD) will coordinate the selection of qualifying individuals and the distribution of vouchers to the recipients on Nevis.

END