BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – HUNDREDS of ex-sugar workers flocked to the Sugar Workers Restoration Fund (SWRF) Secretariat (CLICO building) earlier today (Sept. 19) to receive their gratuity payment promised to them by the government from an EC$16M lump sum.
According to Chairman of the SWRF Accounts Sub-Committee Franklin Maitland, 2,906 applications were processed, 2,311 of which would receive payment. He also told SKNVibes that 1,861 of that figure are individuals who did not receive any payment during the 2005-2006 payout and the remaining 450 are individuals who would have received some payment during that period.
The distribution of the cheques was preceded by a lengthy ceremony that featured addresses by Minister of Agriculture the Hon. Eugene Hamilton, Minister of Labour and Premier of Nevis the Hon. Vance Amory, Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris and Venezuela Ambassador to the Federation His Excellency Romula Gonzalez.
The relatively large crowd, among which some individuals were seated under tents on the compound and other standing under tents in the Independence Square, appeared patient but eagerly anticipating the moment when their cheques would be handed to them.
Minister Hamilton urged the beneficiaries to refrain from squandering their gratuity package and encouraged them to save a portion of it for a rainy day. He said by doing so they would be contributing to nation building because “saving is as important to nation building as spending”.
Premier Amory had a similar admonition for the beneficiaries and advised that they not spend their package on things which would not have long-term benefits.
He told the ex-sugar workers that the Team Unity Government values the contribution they made to St. Kitts and Nevis and that in celebrating the 32nd Anniversary of Independence, it is recognised that it would not have bene possible without their efforts in stabilising the economy.
Prime Minister Harris, who delivered the feature address, thanked the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for its support in providing the funds for the venture and encouraged the recipients to also extend their gratitude.
Near the end of the ceremony, cheques were distributed to 10 individuals. One of them is 93 years old and another who is visually impaired, while most of the others expressed their gratitude to the Government and Prime Minister Harris for the packages they received.
Today was just the beginning of the process according to Chairman of the SWRF Committee Obsert DeSuza, who informed that cheque distribution would continue into tomorrow and the following week.
Those individuals who showed up this morning to collect gratuity payments for deceased loved ones were asked to return next Wednesday.
President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela His Excellency Nicholas Maduro would be on hand tomorrow from 10:30 a.m. to assist with the distribution of the cheques.
