Government combats food increases and poverty
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Contact: Claudia Monlouis
Friday, June 20, 2008 – The government of Saint Lucia is adopting several measures that will cushion the impact of steep increases in the price of food on the poor and indigent in the community.
Officials are mindful that the Country Poverty Assessment, which was conducted in 2005, revealed an increase in poverty at the level of the household. Director of Social Research in the Ministry of Social Transformation Marinus Pascal explained the level of indigence line on the island has decreased.
“Indigence refers to people who are extremely poor or food poor. Poverty is a little different; it really relates to when you are lacking in a number of areas in terms of your ability to provide for basic needs. On that basis, we have developed what we call the ' poverty line,’ and in St. Lucia the poverty line is $430.00 per month,” Pascal said
In June, Prime Minister King made key pronouncements on Saint Lucia's newly amended food basket, which is geared to bring some relief to poor households. Mr. Pascal said the food basket is developed for the purpose of computing the poverty line.
“That line includes basic food and non-food requirements, for the purpose of computing a poverty line for the assessment. A food basket is developed and the food items compromising the basket provide the minimal nutrition requirements for physical survival. It is derived from measured calorie and vitamin tables that have been developed by the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute,” said Pascal.
Latest studies indicate the indigent line stands at $130 a month and the poverty line $430 a month. The social research expert underlined that the task at hand for government, relevant ministries and agencies is to create interventions to assist those persons. |
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