NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (July 31, 2020) — Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Finance in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), says he is pleased that the government responded so swiftly to the financial fallout caused by COVID-19, and has been able to offer citizens and residents wide-ranging concessions. He was speaking at his monthly press conference on July 30, 2020.

Hundreds of residents on Nevis have benefitted from the plethora of concessions offered by the NIA in response to the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic.

“We recognise that everybody is undergoing some hardship, and we have however responded as aggressively as we can with the very limited resources available to the NIA and in March of 2020 we announced a far reaching stimulus package. We have continued to add to that package, to tweak that package to do more,” the premier said.

According to the information related, farmers and fishers have received assistance that has included free seeds, free seedlings, free fencing wire, free fish pot wire, free fertilizer, free land preparation, and in some cases labour was provided by the Department of Agriculture to work on some of the farms at no cost to the farmers.

“Fifty livestock farmers have benefited from free fencing wire, 50 farmers and 200 backyard farmers from our various concessions. Eight hundred homes have benefited from free seeds and seedlings. One hundred and twenty rolls of fish pot wire have been handed out.

“We have also offered free water for six months, reduced costs at our Abattoir and most recently we had 154 livestock farmers were able to benefit from free feed from …St. Vincent,” he noted.

The premier reminded that the NIA gave concessions on water and electricity, informing that thus far 250 domestic consumers have benefited from 50 percent electricity rebates from Nevis Electricity Company Limited (NEVLEC.)

He said 1,666 persons on Nevis have benefited from the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security COVID-19 Relief Fund, valued at $3.52 million. Claims are still being processed and persons who have applied and not received their cheques, as well as those who have not yet received follow up cheques, are being asked to be patient.