#1UPDATE ON THE COVID-19 RESPONSE - SAINT LUCIA |-- + | I 蛋 OKKI#2Presentation Outline Introduction Impact of CoVID - 19 Social Protection Response Measures Way Forward – Economic Recovery and Resilience Plan ■ Conclusion -#3Introduction Saint Lucia OnT Saint Lucia has a population of approximately 180,000 persons, 25% of whom is considered to be monetary poor according to the Survey of Living Conditions (SLC), 2016 The island is highly vulnerable to the impacts of multiple hazards (not only natural hazards). One such hazard - the COVID 19 pandemic has had significant negative impact on all sectors of the society (social, economic, health etc).#4Impact of COVID -19 JOB LOSSES/UNEMPLOYMENT ▪ Large income and job losses occurred. More than 33,000 persons in the hotel and tourism sectors were negatively impacted. ■ More than 70% HH reported income decline since COVID-19 outbreak. ■The biggest job losses occurred in the wholesale, retail, restaurants, and hotel sector. Data Source: Saint Lucia COVID-19 High Frequency Phone Survey sponsored by the World Bank Group#5Impact of COVID -19 FOOD INSECURITY ■ Households became more food insecure post-COVID, with poor households twice as likely to run out of food compared to non-poor households ▪ Many households, particularly poor, suffered severe food insecurity. Nearly 30% of households ran out of food once or more during the 30 days prior to the survey. Situation more serious for poor households, with nearly 50% experiencing a time when they ran out of food. 50#6Impact of COVID -19 INCREASED POVERTY LEVELS Assuming an income shock of 25% and 35% poverty in Saint Lucia is likely to jump to 41.3 and 50.6% respectively... Poverty Head Count Simulations assuming 25% and 35% income shock to households compared to baseline - 2016 60 50 50.6 41.3 40 40 Transitory Poverty Transitory Poverty 30 25 20 Structural Poverty Structural Poverty Structural Poverty 10 0 2016 PHC 25% Income Shock 35% Income Shock#7SOCIAL PROTECTION RESPONSES#8Income Support Programme (ISP) for almost 5000 non contributors who were unemployed due to the impact of COVID 19 6,733 Applications Received mm ✓ II Paid Rejected Suspended Total Total Expenditure $7.216.500 XCD Å 4811 1499 423 6,733 $1,500 per beneficiary REJECTED - applicants include farmers, cruise ship workers who did not qualify, individuals receiving an income and have NIC payments being made on their behalf and individuals already in receipt of ERP or receiving pension benefits from NIC SUSPENDED- application missing information to complete processing#9Vertical Expansion of the Foster Care, Child Disability Grant and Persons Living with HIV Programmes by additional $100.00 SP Programme Children in Foster Care No. of Beneficiaries Top-Up Amount (XCD) Period Donor 183 $100 July-Sept 2020 UNICEF (from $300 to $400) unicef Child Disability Grant 312 $100 July-Sept 2020 UNICEF (from $200 to $300) Persons Living with HIV 88 ။ $200 (from $100 to $300) unicef July 2020 - June 2021 WFP WFP World Food Programme#10Horizontal Expansion of the Public Assistance Programme (PAP) to accommodate an additional 1000 households WFP World Food Programme USD $229, 610.74 India-UN Development Partnership Fund→ USD $500,000 Public Assistance Programme (PAP) 2600 Increase of 1000 Households Households Start Date November 2020 3600 Households Dece Jan Feb Mar Phase 1 End Date April 2021 THE LAND THE LIGHT THE PEOPLE Government of Saint Lucia Hand-over#11ST LUCIA ELECT CTRICIT LUCELEC & GoSL will provide Electricity Assistance to over 5000 poor and vulnerable households for a period of 3-6 months. LUCELEC ST. LUCIA ELECTRICITY SERVICES LIMITED THE LAND THE PEOPLE THE-LIGHT GOSL MOU Signed October 14, 2020 Estimated expenditure: XCD $4.5 million Nov 2020 Dece 2020 Jan 2021 Feb 2021 ㄖ 6000 households End Date March 2021#12GoSL provided $3 million to a Special Educational Assistance programme through SSDF targeted at the students from unemployed families due COVID 19 SSDF SSDF St. Lucia Social Development Fund Uplifting People, Transforming Communities Educational Level Amount per Child (XCD) Number recipients per household $3 million Early Childhood Education Approx $500 2 Primary School Approx $1000 2 Secondary School Approx $1500 2#13Ministry of Equity through Human Services Department has extended Psychological Support due the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic Bad... What if... Can't How? No Don't Psychological Support for individuals that need assistance F A ER#14Despite ceasing operations due to the State of Emergency Shutdown, several hotels volunteered time and service in the COVID National Feeding Program a • Hotels Prepare, Organize and Distribute Meals For Some Households Severely Impacted by Economic Shutdown •19,131 Meals Distributed over two months 17 Constituencies Served, and 1 Homeless Shelter 16 Participating Hotels • 125 Volunteering Chefs and Meal Distributors. From 20 April to 31 May, 16 Hotels volunteered culinary services to the COVID National Feeding Program To Stimulate the Agricultural Sector, Other Impacted Households Have Also Been Supplied with Food Packages • Over 1,500 Packages Distributed Approx. 1,500 Beneficiaries Households • 17 Communities Served#15BILL RT OWN OUR AND ка КАКА SA#16Distribution of 500 Hygiene Packs/Kits to children in Foster Care and households under the Public Assistance Programme with children 1 500 Hygiene Packs/Kits 500. children#17- WAY FORWARD – ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PLAN Recovery Strategies: ▪ Stimulating the Economy ▪ Fast Track Shovel Ready Projects ▪ Strengthen Social Protection Systems in Saint Lucia Resilience Strategies: ▪ Resilience Building of the Productive Sector ▪ Strengthen Health Resilience ■ Disaster Risk Reduction/Climate Change Adaptation 17#18THANK YOU