PRIME MINISTER HARRIS CALLS FOR DISCIPLINE ON VAT DAYS; GOVERNMENT SALARIES TO BE PAID ON DECEMBER 17

Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 02, 2020 (SKNIS): Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris has called for discipline on VAT Days and has urged shoppers and suppliers of goods and services to practice physical distancing, to wear masks, and to exercise good hand hygiene.

Prime Minister Harris was at the time speaking at his monthly press conference on December 01, 2020. He said that as usual, the security forces will be on full alert to maintain law and order.

“We really want to have the best behaviour on VAT Day,” he said. “The overcrowding, the rushing, and all those ill-advised behaviour will not be encouraged.”

The Prime Minister asked suppliers of goods and services to put the requisite protocols in place to ensure good order is maintained at the premises.

“It can be done. A good model had been exercised by TDC recently at one of their sales. They were able to manage that activity by involving the security forces,” he said. “The security forces stand ready to assist any business place in making the appropriate determinations to ensure that all will go well.”

In order to accommodate VAT Day Sales, the Government will pay its salaries on Thursday, December 17, 2020, said the Prime Minister.

About 1,200 non-establishment workers will also receive their honorarium on December 17, 2020.

“Some time ago, the honorarium was discontinued by the former administration and the wild promise that their situation would be regularized,” he said. “Having taken note of the injustice to that category of government employees, we are determined until their situation was regularized we will pay them the honorarium, which I gather is about two percent of their annual accumulative wages.”
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