Last Updated on October 21, 2022, 9:16 AM AST by Anthony Morris
St Kitts and Nevis Cabinet of Ministers approved the payment of an honorarium of EC$2,000.00 for the frontline workers to recognise the services they provided to their fellow citizens and residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Frontline Workers are essential workers, working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Government of St Kitts and Nevis outlined the institutions whose staff may qualify to benefit from the one-time payment of the honorarium.
The institutions qualifying for the honorarium include:
Customs and Excise Department, Ministry of Finance: Customs officers employed at the RLB International Airport along with all seaports in St Kitts and Nevis Additionally, those who functioned as part of the Fusion Center.
• Ministry of National Security:
- Immigration Department of St Kitts and Nevis– all Immigration Officers based at the airports and all seaports in the Federation and those who worked as part of the Fusion Center.
- Royal St Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) – Police Officers who helped maintain law and order during the COVID-19 pandemic response. Those who helped enforce the Statutory Rules and Orders/protocol during 2020-2022.
- St Kitts and Nevis Defence Force – Officers who helped maintain law and order during the COVID-19 pandemic response and helped enforce the Statutory Rules and Orders/protocol during 2020-2022.
- Fire and Rescue Services of St Kitts and Nevis
- St Kitts and Nevis Coast Guard – Officers who monitored the coastal waters and seaports during the pandemic.
- Team of Compliance Officers – Officers who collaborated with the police force to enforce the protocols of COVID-19
- National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) – members of staff who contributed to COVID-19 Response (activation of the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) Press Briefings on a daily and then weekly basis up until 30th March 2022.
- Members of staff of the Ministry of National Security and His Majesty’s Prison – officers who worked as part of the Fusion Center.
SCASPA – employees/essential workers based at the RLB International Airport and seaports who interacted with and facilitated the safe passage of inbound and outbound passengers along the corridor of containment. Ministry of Tourism and St. Kitts Tourism Authority – employees and essential workers who worked to ensure the safe opening of the borders of St Kitts and Nevis by organizing training of all key tourism stakeholders and those who evaluated and certified the COVID-19 approved hotels.
SKNIS and ZBC Staff – Members of staff who facilitated the NEOC press briefings and media releases.
Ministry of Health:
- Health and Emergency Operating Committee – essential workers in the Ministry of Health who led the Ministry’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Health IT Technicians – The team that monitored the health component of the entry forms on the KNAtravelform portal.
- Port Health Surveillance Officers team based at the RLB International Airport screened inbound passengers for COVID-19
- Environmental Health Department Team – Environmental Health Officers’ team, monitored all ports of entry, team members who facilitated the training of tourism stakeholders to facilitate border opening, and team members who ensured that establishments were compliant with COVID-19 protocols.
- All Community Based nurses, doctors, and all allied staff – who contributed to the COVID-19 response, including the COVID-19 sample-taking teams, the contact tracing team, the team of Case Managers and the Health Promotion Unit.
- All Institutional (Hospital) Based nurses, doctors, and allied staff- Staff members who contributed to the response from all hospital departments, including those working at Pogson Hospital and Mary Charles Hospital.
It is worth a notice that people who have previously received any form of compensation for their work directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic will not be eligible for an honorarium under this initiative.
During his press conference on Monday October 17, 2022, Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew said the payment of the honorarium is a small gesture of appreciation to those persons who provided invaluable service to the country during the pandemic.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
