Minister of National Mobilization the Hon. Dr. Orando Brewster has said that his ministry is in the process of implementing the La Soufriere Relief Grant phase two which will focus on family life education and client empowerment for five hundred (500) households from the red and orange zones.
Addressing a press conference hosted by his ministry on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021 to update Vincentians on the relief and recovery effort post the volcanic eruptions: Minister Brewster said the supplementary budget of 2021 allocated $2 million to assist the ministry with the La Soufriere Relief Grant phase two to displaced families in the red and orange zones.
Minister Brewster noted that this will be done with further income support and food packages or vouchers for displaced families from August to September 2021.
He noted that they have already successfully provided payments for some three thousand five hundred and thirty eight displaced households where the average household income is below $1,000.00 per month. This he said was done in collaboration with the World Food Programme through a Western Union Money transfer.
The minister further noted that government will provide support to non-farmers in the red and orange zones and highlighted that small businesses in these areas also stand to benefit from this initiative.
“There is a verification process, they must be verified by their employer and a Justice of Peace in the area”, he said.The employer of the business will be verified by the Justice of Peace.
The minister noted that his ministry is doing all it can to assist those adversely affected by the eruptions of the La Soufriere Volcano, noting that they will also strengthen its existing Public Assistance Programme by reviewing the support system they are running so far
“Once we review these, we can see the areas we can improve on to support certain people who missed some sort of support from our public assistance programme.”
Dr. Brewster thanked the donor agencies who have joined forces with the ministry to provide financial and other assistance to Vincentians following the eruptions of the La Soufriere Volcano.