St Kitts and Nevis announces EC$ 2,000.00 as honorarium payment for Covid frontline workers

St Kitts and Nevis: The frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, have received the payment of an honorarium of EC $ 2,000.00. After the cabinet of ministers had approved, the government outlined various requirements and criteria for the qualification from the one-time payment of the honorarium. 

The institutions which are included in the procedure are: 

Ministry of Finance, Custom officers- 

• based at the RLB International Airport, the Customs and Excise Department, all seaports in the Federation, and people who worked as part of the Fusion Centre, St Kitts, and Nevis Immigration Department,

Ministry of National security: 

• Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and Defence Force who assured the law and order during the pandemic and helped to implement the Statutory Rules and Orders/protocol during 2020-2022. It also includes Fire and Rescue Services and St. Kitts and Nevis Coast Guard monitored the coastal waters and seaports during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Team of Compliance Officers – Officers who worked with the police to implement the COVID- 19 protocol.
• National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) – members of staff who contributed to the 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 – people who worked at the Fusion Center.
• SCARPA – employees/essential workers based at the R.L.B. International Airport and seaports who work as a facilitator for the  safe passage of inbound and outbound passengers along the corridor of containment.
• Ministry of Tourism and St. Kitts Tourism Authority – people who were involved in ensuring the safe opening of the Federation’s borders by organizing training of all key tourism stakeholders and those who evaluated and certified COVID-19-approved hotels.
• SKNIS and ZBC Staff – staff members who facilitated the NEOC press briefings and media releases.

Ministry of Health: 

• Health and Emergency Operating Committee – a team of essential workers in the Ministry of Health who maintains the Ministry’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Health IT Technicians – the team who examine the health component of the entry forms on the KNAtravelform portal.  Port Health Surveillance Officers – the team who screened inbound passengers for COVID-19 at the RLB international airport.
• Environmental Health Department Team – the team consisted of environmental health officers who examined all ports of entry, they also facilitated the training of tourism stakeholders and ensured the border opening, and also maintain the implementation of the COVID-19 protocols.
• All Community Based nurses, doctors, and all allied staff – the team who controls the COVID- 19 pandemic, conducted the testing. It comprises the team of contact tracing team, a team of Case Ma, managers, and the Health Promotion Unit.
• All Institutional (Hospital) Based nurses- doctors, and allied staff –  the team who worked as a frontline at Pogson Hospital and Mary Charles Hospital.

It is worth noting that people who received any form of compensation for work directly are not qualified for an honorarium under this initiative. 

Talking about the initiatives, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, at his press conference on Monday, October 17, 2022, said, “The objective of the honorarium is to say to those who were on the frontline, who defended us and who risked themselves thank you. No amount of money can ever pay for that, but at least the gesture of appreciation must be given.” 

The Ministry of Finance has completed the entire procedure to issue the payment to the workers on payday, Friday 21st October, with their regular pay.