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Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 29, 2020 (SKNIS): The Government of National Unity is ensuring that students who will not get the opportunity to return home will receive monetary support to the tune of EC$1000, says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, the Honourable Shawn Richards, during the April 28 Leadership Matters virtual town-hall meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister Richards stated that the government has made a decision to bring home some 53 students who are currently in Jamaica pursuing studies. This has cost the government US $75,000 or approximately EC $203,000.

He informed that the students are due to return to the country on Thursday, April 30. The deputy prime minister pointed out that none of the students had to pay out of pocket to return home.

Deputy Prime Minister Richards stated that not only did the government pay for the full cost of the charter flight, it also had to find facilities to quarantine the students for 14 days when they arrive.

He noted that the government has not abandoned the students in Jamaica and elsewhere. The deputy prime minister stated that the government is not able to move all of the students for different reasons. He said that logistically it was easier to move the students from Jamaica because they are in one territory and the government was able to get LIAT to do so.

However, the government was able to assist the other students monetarily. The government has written cheques to the tune of EC$83,000.

“EC $83,000 to 83 students, which will equate to EC $1000 per student. That is support that we intend to give to those other students over the next three months. There are some other cheques that we are supposed to be writing so that at the end of the day we expect to be providing financial support of over $100,000 to students who are studying elsewhere.”

Deputy Prime Minister said that the cheques will be disbursed on April 30.

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