The Government of St Kitts and Nevis signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Italy on Tuesday 15th November, 2022, during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27).
The terms of the MoU are in relation to Italy’s continued support of the Federation’s environmental action and fight for climate justice.
Cheryl Jeffers, Conservation Officer in the Ministry of Environment said the MoU allows for the Federation to move forward towards becoming a Sustainable Island State.
Ms. Jeffers, who is a part of the COP27 delegation said, “The MoU allows CARICOM Member States to access much-needed finance to combat climate change and climate change vulnerability. Projects that are directly related to Adaptation and Mitigation will be supported through this MoU.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Environment and Climate Action, Hon. Dr. Joyelle Clarke said Italy has been a longstanding partner with St Kitts and Nevis and that the European nation, through the MoU, has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Federation in its green transition.
Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Lucia have also entered into the same agreement with Italy. The signing of the additional CARICOM Member States will take place in New York at the UN Headquarters.
St Kitts and Nevis Signs Memorandum of Understanding With Italy
Construction Sector and Small Businesses Set to Benefit From Economic Diversification and Government Investment
Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew has made the diversification of the domestic economy a major part of the Government’s agenda. During the Prime Minister’s press conference on November 15, 2022, Prime Minister Dr. Drew reiterated the Government’s plans for the construction sector and small businesses.
“We are going to launch a housing programme with our Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme to stir our construction industry, and put our men fundamentally who work in that area to work and my hope is to see some women in that field as well. Women should learn to run blocks too because some women are running blocks and are very good at it. There is no difference. And so, that would create a number of opportunities for our people. It will create homeownership, opportunities to build real wealth and collateral to approach a bank which you can use to borrow to do business or to send your children to study. We are going to start other major projects such as our hospital and as I said before we have the first rendering of our new hospital to come and we are looking at the Basseterre High School as well. So, these construction opportunities will have a multiplier effect,” said Prime Minister Dr. Drew.
The Government has made it a priority to strengthen the Federation’s economic buffers, noting an overdependency on CBI revenues. Job creation remains at the heart of the Government’s development plan. With more well-paying jobs being created the goal is to reduce the number of persons relying on the various social assistance programmes.
“Via the Development Bank, we will be injecting millions of dollars to provide loans for our small and medium-sized businesses to stir economic activity because our hope, our plan and our goal are to not have everybody on social programmes but that people can really generate real economic activity, grow wealth and will not have the need for social programmes. That is what we want to do. We want to dwindle down those programmes as much as possible, but of course, being responsible about it by making sure people are moving into jobs and businesses where they can sustain themselves even better than being on social programmes,” said Prime Minister Dr. Drew.
Across the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, entrepreneurs can rest assured that the Government is working tirelessly to create conditions necessary for sustainable economic growth and diverse business opportunities.
Prime Minister Dr. Drew Calls for Greater International Support for Sids in the Fight Against Climate Change
As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), St. Kitts and Nevis faces the brunt of the effects associated with climate change. Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis the Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew on November 15, 2022, called for greater support for SIDS in the fight against climate change.
“In my UN address I spoke about the climate issue and that we in the Caribbean, especially small island states, our footprint is very small when it comes to the carbon issue attributed to the increase of global temperature or global warming. And the global warming we know is responsible for a lot of climate issues; we see hurricanes more frequent and stronger in some areas. We see flooding, heat, droughts and we see the melting of the ice caps and this is really resulting in a lot of loss and damage. The issue is for a while that when it came to being placed on an agenda, various interest groups and countries worked to keep that out of the discussion. But at COP27 it made the agenda. So, we recognize that this is an advancement, however, we still continue the struggle to secure that funding for loss and damage because we are suffering loss and damage all the time because of climate change,” said Prime Minister Dr. Drew in his press conference with Cabinet members at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort Ballroom.
At the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Dr. Drew called for a resolute recommitment to multilateral cooperation on issues related to climate change. Further, Prime Minister Dr. Drew reiterated that the Multi-Dimensional Vulnerability Index should be used as the standard in accessing the true position of nation-states.
“You might have heard me speak about MVI, the Multi-Dimensional Vulnerability Index, which means that you cannot just judge us on GDP alone to determine if we can have access to concessionary loans which we do not have because we are considered a high-income country. Yet, we are expected to deal with loss and damage, we are expected to convert our country at least from an infrastructural standpoint into a resilient country. And that is why you would hear me speak all the time about the sustainable island state. That will cost money. Just to build a climate-smart hospital is going to cost us near to $100 million U.S Dollars. Climate-smart means that we are building a hospital that would resist the issues that are associated with climate change. So, if we are hit by a heavy hurricane at least we should have a hospital that can stand up and treat our people,” said Prime Minister Dr. Drew.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the multidimensional vulnerability index (MVI), seeks to increase eligibility for small island developing states (SIDS) to receive greater financing to address their unique vulnerabilities—namely, their proximity and reliance to the ocean and climate change.
Foreign Minister Dr. Douglas Says Roc (Taiwan) Commits to Supporting the Government of St. Kitts & Nevis in Energy Transition
St. Kitts and Nevis’ Foreign Minister, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas hosted a series of bilateral meetings with various nations during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27).
The dialogues began with The Republic of China (Taiwan). During the joint session, ROC (Taiwan) expressed its commitment to support the Government of St Kitts and Nevis in its bid to transition from fossil fuel energy consumption to renewable energy
Minister Dr. Douglas indicated during the meeting that ROC (Taiwan) has been a longtime friend of St. Kitts and Nevis for some thirty-nine (39) years. He reminded the gathering that Taiwan has always supported the Federation’s energy transition.
The Foreign Minister said, “Now as we head to another critical transition in our nation’s history, Taiwan has confirmed its support for St Kitts and Nevis. We are eternally grateful for the friendship because Taiwan has been a dependable partner. They have provided invaluable technical cooperation across all sectors. We deeply appreciate their loyal commitment to the advancement of St Kitts and Nevis. And so, we always have and will continue to be their loyal partner and friend.”
Dr. Douglas also held bilaterals with Egypt, The United Arab Emirates, Ireland and Nigeria in the hopes of securing partnerships in climate finance.
Following the series of meetings, Minister of Energy, Hon. Konris Maynard and Minister of Environment and Climate Action, Hon. Dr Joyelle Clarke joined the bilateral where continued partnerships in energy and water security as well as waste management, were discussed.
Minister Dr. Clarke Delivers Address During COP27 High-level Segment
ds of families whose income depends on tourism and agriculture. In many cases, it is a single mother, a taxi driver, a farmer…The glaring fragility of our small State is magnified. The severity of Loss and Damage is traumatic.”
The Minister also emphasized a call to the robust body of the United Nations to recognize The Republic of China (Taiwan) as an Observer State.
To strengthen her case, Minister Dr. Clarke cited Taiwan’s partnerships with several countries to reduce emissions. Added to that, she said, Taiwan is the world leader in renewable energy practices.
“In St. Kitts and Nevis,” she said, “we have embarked on a journey of green possibilities. Our goal is to become a model sustainable island state…our 39-year-old friendship with the ROC (Taiwan) supported our renewable energy efforts. Together, we have produced 2.5 megawatts of renewable energy to our citizens.”
Dr. Clarke determined that as a body, the UN must seek to address climate justice which includes climate finance.
COP 27 continues until 18th November, 2022.
Government of St. Kitts and Nevis Intends to Cement the Federation’s Position as a Leader in the Cbi Industry
In its first 100 days in office, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew-led administration said it has made and is making a concerted effort to strengthen the country’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme.
During his press conference on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, Prime Minister and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew updated nationals on the steps being taken to improve the functioning of the programme.
“The vision to use citizenship by investment to attract international investment was both bold and creative but we must admit that over the years, the programme has not been mutually beneficial for all stakeholders – especially our people, who should always be at the forefront of the benefits from programmes. Your Government has been committed to working tirelessly to strengthen and improve our CBI programme for enhanced sustainability within a framework of integrity,” the Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister Dr. Drew added that an evolved CBI programme, under his administration, will be operated with the utmost transparency.
He said, “There will be much stronger oversight and leadership in the CBI Unit. Your Government is implementing strengthened legislative and administrative structures to ensure that real estate projects funded by the CBI programme are completed. To this end, we are seeking trusted investors who see the potential of our nation to put capital behind creative and strong projects that will enhance our offering.”
“Under new leadership, the CBI programme will be administered in such a way that all stakeholders can have an equal opportunity to benefit, and priority needs will be addressed. For example, we need housing for our people here in St. Kitts and Nevis. We were therefore purposeful in our engagements and the newly evolved programme must prosper each and every one of us here in St. Kitts and Nevis. The changes we intend to make will ensure that we maintain a progressive and sustainable programme whilst cementing St Kitts and Nevis’ place as a leader in the CBI industry,” the honourable Prime Minister added.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Dr. Drew said the Federation’s CBI programme has been the pioneer of the global investor immigration industry for nearly forty years, and that has “allowed this nation to thrive beyond what could not have been possible without it. It has, at times, given us the opportunity to advance our people without relying too much on international financial aid.”
Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas Hosts Cop27 Gender Day Side Event Centering on Women in Small Businesses in the Caribbean
The Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Economic Development et al, represented the Government of St Kitts and Nevis on Tuesday, November 15, as he spoke at a side event on enhancing women’s empowerment programmes for small businesses in the Caribbean at the 27th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP27) in Egypt.
The side event, in collaboration with the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (Taiwan ICDF), explored the challenges and opportunities of Women’s Economic Empowerment as COP recognizes November 15 as “Gender Day”.
Minister Dr. Douglas spoke on the topic, “A pathway towards building women’s resilience in crisis” as the Federation recognizes and celebrates gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in climate policy and action.
He said, “We believe that women bear the brunt of the fallout from climatic disasters. Therefore, it is always important to provide solutions for their recovery and their resilience. Partnering with Taiwan ICDF has been very fruitful for St. Kitts and Nevis and we will continue expressing our friendship and partnership through forums such as these.”
The side event was hosted at St Kitts and Nevis’ Pavilion.
Ministers of Government Engage in Candid Talk With Young People at Ministers’ Youth Forum
Approximately 150 young people from across St. Kitts and Nevis gathered at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on Tuesday (November 15) to learn more about government programmes and activities that directly impact them and to give their perspective on ways the government can further tailor its empowerment initiatives to meet the demands of the young generation.
The engagement was facilitated by the Junior Minister responsible for Youth Empowerment, the Honourable Isalean Phillip, who was supported by the staff of the Department. The young people expressed the need for skills development, job training, transfer of knowledge, establishing independence, social building, and youth in decision-making.
While giving welcome remarks, Senior Youth Officer Sahira Joseph said that the Minister’s Youth Forum has been extremely useful over the years.
“Our young people are wise and they crave innovation, excitement and opportunities, and forums of this nature are a necessity because ultimately they inform our programming at the Department of Youth Empowerment,” she stated. “I urge all of us to recognize this opportunity for what it is … We are here to communicate with each other.”
Mrs. Joseph said that information gathering was key for the department to function effectively as it meets the needs of young people.
Junior Minister Phillip commended the wide mix of young people represented which included high school students, representatives of youth groups, youth entrepreneurs, youth volunteers, members of sports groups, residents of His Majesty’s Prison and others.
The Junior Minister said the recommendations from the young people were captured and will be seriously considered by senior officials at the department.
The young people also had the opportunity to engage with Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, Deputy Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, who is Minister of Education and Youth Empowerment as well as the Honourable Samal Duggins, Minister of Sports and the Creative Economy et al.
The Minister’s Youth Forum was held as part of Youth Month 2022.
Post Cabinet Briefing for Monday, 14th November, 2022
The Cabinet Ministers met under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister, The Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, on Monday, 14th November 2022 and made several key decisions to improve the welfare of our people.
- The Cabinet of Ministers welcomed members of the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK) on their first official visit to St. Kitts and Nevis. This trip follows the highly successful inaugural AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum held in Barbados in September 2022, where Prime Minister, The Hon Dr Terrance Drew signed an agreement to strengthen collaboration and engagements between Africa and the Caribbean. The AFREXIMBANK team presented several proposed interventions and partnerships in the areas of:
- Solar power plants,
- Air and sea ports enhancements,
- Agriculture Production & Agro-Processing,
- Fish farming and processing facilities,
- Poultry processing,
- Healthcare services,
- Establishing Correspondent Banking Relationships,
- Creation of air and sea links between Africa and the Caribbean Region, and
- Training and knowledge sharing in key areas including e-government, special economic zones framework, and industrialization.
- As a continuation of the government’s COVID-19 Recovery Plan initiatives, the Cabinet has approved the following Discounted VAT Rate Days:
- Friday November 25th, 2022. Kindly note there will be no VAT Discount on vehicle purchases on this date.
- Friday December 16th and Saturday December 17th, 2022 (inclusive of vehicle purchases).
- After careful deliberation, the Cabinet has approved an extra payment of one month’s salary to be paid on Tuesday November 22, 2022, to all civil servants and Government Auxiliary Employees (GAEs) of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), including Pensioners and STEP workers. Statutory Corporations are encouraged to make similar payments to their employees as well.
Prime Minister Dr. Drew Announces the Payment of a ‘double Salary’ for Civil Servants This November
Civil servants received some welcomed news today, as Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew announced the payment of an extra month’s salary on November 22, 2022.
Prime Minister Dr. Drew made the announcement during his Press Conference held today, Tuesday, November 15 at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort Ballroom.
“Your Government has been methodical, prudent and pragmatic in carrying out the mandate you have elected us to undertake. I am therefore pleased to announce that after careful deliberation, an extra payment of one month’s salary, or what is termed ‘double salary’, will be paid on Tuesday, November 22, 2022…to all civil servants and Government Auxiliary Employees (GAEs) of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), including Pensioners and STEP workers,” the honourable Prime Minister stated.
In making the announcement, Prime Minister Dr. Drew also urged Statutory Corporations to make similar payments to their employees during that time as well.
Moreover, the Finance Minister indicated that citizens and residents will also benefit from three Discounted VAT Rate Days, with the first day set for Friday, November 25, 2022.
Dr. Drew said, “As we navigate life after the pandemic, we continue to roll-out our COVID-19 Recovery Plan initiatives. In this regard and following consultations with the Ministry of Finance and others, the Cabinet has approved Discounted VAT Rate Days on Friday, November 25—in this initial one, vehicles will not be included—and Friday, December 16th and Saturday, December 17th which will include vehicles.”
On the Discounted Vat Rate Days, all VAT-registered businesses charge value-added tax at the rate of 5 percent on the sale of goods only. All tangible items that are presently subject to 17 percent VAT will qualify for the discounted VAT Rate.