BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Aug. 31.2018 – THE Team Unity Administration’s Sugar Worker’s Restoration Fund is nearing the end, and the government has informed that over 2000 people have received payments under the programme while a hundred more are tied up in the courts.
The fund, which was established in 2015 following the General Election, was geared towards providing former sugar workers with their severance.
The Dr. Timothy Harris-led government approached the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for assistance and was provided with a cheque for $16 million.
While addressing reporters at the latest in his series of monthly media briefings, Prime Minister Harris explained that the programme has reported that as of August 20, 2033 people were paid accounting for $13.7 million.
“Some 110 applications are outstanding, either on the account of corrections to documents to be completed by lawyers or paternity challenges filed in the court, or the absence of proper documentation,” said Harris.
The payments to former sugar workers, a promised by the government during the runup to the 2015 general elections, has come in for criticisms especially for the way the payouts are being made, and the successful applications.
Many have publicly voiced their criticisms at the screening process, as many were turned away as officials indicated to them that they would have already received payments during the last round of payouts under the former administration.
But a number of the payouts were challenged in the courts as individuals challenged family members for the rightful ownership of the funds.
Speaking to the court matters, Dr. Harris revealed that there are approximately 105 cases left to be determined.
He noted that they are hopeful that before Independence Day that all corrections will be made, and the monies can be paid out.
The opposition, St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party has strongly criticized the programme, pointing out that a number of people would have received double payments.
