In commemoration of World Teachers’ Day on Wednesday, October 05, 2022, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley in his national address took the opportunity to applaud the work of teachers across the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

“Join with me today to applaud our teachers who go above and beyond on a daily basis to nurture, encourage, guide, train and infuse our children with values, skills and knowledge.  Teachers have allowed us to grow and transform into successful individuals.  Therefore, World Teachers’ Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate teachers both past and present for everything they have done or continue to do for us,” said Minister Dr. Hanley. “Teachers are the lifeblood of this great Federation, and today, we join with the international community to celebrate their sterling contribution to nation-building.  It was the former United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who stated and I agree, that ‘Wherever you find something extraordinary, you will find the fingerprints of a great teacher.’   Let’s take a moment to reflect on the numerous teachers who have touched our lives in one way or another,” Dr. Hanley added.

The Theme for World Teachers’ Day 2022 is “The transformation of Education Begins with Teachers.”  The United Nations (UNESCO) created this theme to highlight the significant work of teachers worldwide during the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

The Ministry of Education is holding their annual Teacher Day Cocktail, where teachers are celebrated for their hard work and service to the noble profession of teaching.

“This is just a small gesture of the immense respect and appreciation we have for our teachers.  As we look toward the future, it is my intent to ensure that teachers’ are treated with the utmost respect, honour and have an opportunity for their voices to be heard.  I have heard your cry and promise that I will work assiduously with my team to deliver the ‘New Deal.’  Teachers, words do not adequately express our gratitude for your hard work, dedication and high level of commitment to your craft.  Rest assured that your work does not go unnoticed,” said Minister Dr. Hanley.

According to https://en.unesco.org/, UNESCO proclaimed October 05 to be World Teachers’ Day in 1994, celebrating the great step made for teachers on October 05, 1966, when a special intergovernmental conference convened by UNESCO in Paris adopted the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, said that the Ministry is ready to begin work on the New Basseterre High School and Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School. The announcement was made during a meeting with the management and staff of the Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School on October 04, 2022.
 
“I know it has been a sacrifice having lost your school, I know it is always better at home. Nonetheless, I think you guys have an amazing working environment but it is still not a school. And, we have been working vigorously to ensure that the Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School is built,” said Minister Dr. Hanley. “It is going to be a state-of-the-art primary school. I saw the drawing that Public Works did and we indicated to them some of the things that we want to see included. So, you will have one of the modern primary schools when it comes to renovation. It is our intention as a government, as a ministry to do much work that is needed on our schools,”
 
The Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School suffered a massive loss due to a fire earlier this year and since then students and staff alike have been hosting classes at an alternative location.
 
As previously announced by Minister Dr. Hanley, the Ministry of Education will be moving forward with building the New Basseterre High School. He said that “It is our intention to use the two-year period while the new Basseterre High School is being built and completed to bring all of our schools up to a better standard.” Minister Dr. Hanley stated that tenders for the demolition of the old structure of the Basseterre High School will be made public by the end of October.
 
Equally important, the Ministry of Education has embarked on an island wide school rehabilitation project.
 
“We have embarked on phase one where we are rebuilding all of our bathrooms in all of our primary and secondary schools, starting of course, on a priority basis since some of our schools’ bathrooms are very deplorable. But I must say, however, that the majority of the bathrooms that I have visited in the rural areas are not only clean but they are also well-kept and that must be commended… We will also be looking at the upgrades of electricity in a number of our schools. A very costly venture but we need to put the money where it needs to be spent,” said Minister Dr. Hanley.
 
Minister Dr. Hanley further indicated that at the end of the rehabilitation project all the schools on the island would be in much better condition.

Shawn White is the new Chairman of the Board of the National Housing Corporation (NHC).

Mr. White received his Letter of Appointment on Tuesday, October 04, 2022, from the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister responsible for Housing.

Deputy Prime Minister Hanley congratulated Mr. White on his appointment to lead the Board over the next three (3) years.

Chairman White said that he was honoured to have been asked to fill this role.

“I am excited about the new opportunity,” he said. “Housing is a big thing in St. Kitts and Nevis and I think that with proper guidance and management, the NHC can fulfil its mandate of providing housing for the indigent in St. Kitts and Nevis.”

The chairman said that his background in management and financing are assets that will enhance his effectiveness when making critical decisions.

“With an inclusive Board, sound ideas and group thinking, we will be able to turn around the NHC and guide it back on the path that it was intended to be on from its inception,” Mr. White stated.

Chairman White thanked Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, Deputy Prime Minister Hanley and others for the confidence they have reposed in him. Mr. White expressed a strong desire to make a positive difference in housing and said that he will “make his country proud.”

Deputy Prime Minister Hanley extended appreciation to outgoing NHC chair Malvie James and the entire Board of Directors for their service to bettering lives in the Federation.

The Honourable Isalean Phillip, Junior Minister and Minister responsible for Youth Empowerment and Social Development et al, has welcomed the implementation of the United Nations Resilient Caribbean: Engaging and Training Youth, Strengthening Integrated Social Protection Sector Delivery Joint Programme in St. Kitts and Nevis.

“St. Kitts and Nevis is really happy to serve as a host for the launch of this Joint Sustainable Development Goal Programme, which is aimed at expanding universal and sustainable social protection systems and skills development for youth in the Caribbean,” she said at a ceremony marking the programme launch on Tuesday, October 04, 2022, at the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) Conference Room.

The Junior Minister noted that equitable social protection systems and the empowerment of young people are two critical goals of this new administration headed by Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew. The Prime Minister shared segments of this vision while addressing the 77^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, 2022.

Minister Phillip further noted that youth employment and underemployment have been significant issues across the Caribbean and applauded the specific focus on this particular issue.

“We are critically aware that the COVID-19 pandemic eroded previous gains for young people and that the unequal recovery risks permanent scaring of economies and societies with serious implications for our youth’s future and particularly those who fall within the low and middle-income brackets,” the Minister stated.

As such, the minister added that government and other local stakeholders “will work with implementing UN agencies to ensure that this SDG Joint Project delivers sustainable benefits to all people across St. Kitts and Nevis, especially the poor and marginalized who depend on our social protection systems the most.”

The opportunity to help young people realize and achieve their full potential thereby growing and developing into productive citizens was also mentioned as an outcome of the programme that aligns with the goal of the St. Kitts and Nevis government.

The project will be implemented over the next two years.

The United Nations (UN) is partnering with St. Kitts and Nevis and three other Eastern Caribbean countries to pilot a project aimed at reducing poverty and inequalities, increasing youth employment, and enhancing social protection systems for households.

The regional programme entitled “Resilient Caribbean: Engaging and Training Youth, Strengthening Integrated Social Protection Sector Delivery Joint Programme” was launched at the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) Conference Room in Basseterre at a ceremony on Tuesday, October 04, 2022.

Didier Trebucq, UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, attended the launch in St. Kitts and Nevis. He stated that the project is designed to help accelerate progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

“For us at the UN, putting the emphasis on youth empowerment, on young people, is paramount,” said Mr. Trebucq. “It is paramount because we have adopted the Youth 2030 strategy under the leadership of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and we truly …believe in youth. Give a space to youth, give a voice to youth, working with youth rather than just working for youth. It is important to make sure that youth are inserted in productive activities of societies at large.”

The challenges of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, job losses and the economic slowdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the rising cost of fuel and goods, were mentioned as factors that have resulted in a reduced standard of living for millions of persons around the world.

Mr. Trebecq noted that initiatives led by the public sector, private sector, non-governmental agencies and other civil society groups will greatly benefit from this SDG Joint Programme.

“It will contribute to greater and easier access to social assistance as well as jobs and better income for those in greater need such as young people and women. As a result, we expect that the joint programme will increase the resilience of households and communities, … and also link young people to meaningful, formal sector employment or entrepreneurship activities,” the UN official said.

Innovative and evidence-based management operational tools that build up social protection resilience will be used in this joint programme.

The Resilient Caribbean: Engaging and Training Youth, Strengthening Integrated Social Protection Sector Delivery Joint Programme is being piloted in St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands. The opening ceremony featured an address by Senator the Honourable Isalean Phillip, Junior Minister and Minister for Youth Empowerment, Social Development et al. of St. Kitts and Nevis. Virtual addresses were delivered by Senator The Honourable David E. Andrew, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture – Grenada, The Honourable Dee-Ann Kentish Rogers, Minister of Social Development, Education, Youth, Culture and Sports – Anguilla, and the Honourable Marlon A. Penn, Minister of Health and Social Development – the British Virgin Islands.

Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew has said that his administration is fully committed to resolving the water situation affecting the St. Peter’s area and other communities in St. Kitts.

Prime Minister Dr. Drew was speaking following a visit to a well site in St. Peter’s where employees of the Water Services Department within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure are working around the clock to resolve the situation that caused days of water interruption for consumers in that community.

“What I would like to say to the people of the environs of St. Peter’s is that we are committed to making sure that this is resolved, and I want to say that the Honourable Konris Maynard [Minister with responsibility for Water] is not here this morning because he is away on national duty but had he been [in St. Kitts] he would have been here as well, and of course he has given his commitment, as the PS mentioned, to make sure that we resolve the water situation not just in St. Peter’s but we want to resolve it throughout the whole of St. Kitts and Nevis,” Dr. Drew said.

The prime minister said he was also pleased to know that a water truck was busy making it rounds “to make sure that the residents have access to potable water and so I want to thank everyone who has been involved and we’ll keep a close eye on the situation and we’ll keep pushing towards the restoration of water to the people of St. Peter’s.”

The honourable Prime Minister extended his personal appreciation to the hard-working staff of the Water Services Department for their prompt and efficient response to the problem.

“I want to thank the guys who are working because I think they are the real foundation in making sure that this issue is resolved. I know the guys have been working extremely hard and sometimes we don’t recognize how hard they are working. We just know that the water is there and I want us to understand that it just doesn’t automatically get there. There are people who are working hard and when it goes I think that that really brings to bear how important these guys are in making sure that we have water,” said Prime Minister Dr. Drew.

As of Tuesday (October 04) morning, water was restored to up to eight percent (80%) of consumers in the St. Peter’s community, and work was being carried out today to ensure the remaining residents could have access to potable water by the end of the day.

The University of the West Indies Alumni Association (St. Kitts and Nevis Chapter) (UWIAASKN) congratulates the six UWI alumni who graduated from the Norman Manley Law School on October 1, 2022.

Ms. Kiwanna Browne, Ms. Shantrice Dorset, Mr. Kamau Grant, Ms. Azuree Liburd, Mr. Hasani Mc Donald and Ms. Siobhan Phipps are now each holders of a Legal Education Certificate, which enables their admission to practice at the bar of any of the countries in which the Council of Legal Education has jurisdiction. Browne, Dorset, Grant, Mc Donald and Phipps received their undergraduate law degrees from the UWI Cave Hill Campus in Barbados while Liburd received hers from the UWI St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad.

President of the UWIAA SKN Chapter, Ms. Jihan Williams sends commendation to the six graduates on their recent accomplishment. She said, “I am pleased to hear that our nationals have masterfully overcome the rigours of Law School, particularly through the additional challenges posed by the pandemic. It is a testament to their fortitude and capability, which leads me to believe that we will only hear great things from them in the future. On behalf of the members of the UWI Alumni Association, St. Kitts and Nevis Chapter, I send heartiest congratulations to the graduates and trust that they will raise their Pelican Pride flags high as they enter into a new phase of their professional lives.”

From among over 200 members of the Class of 2022, three of the graduates from St. Kitts and Nevis were also recipients of academic awards for outstanding performances.

Azuree Liburd was awarded 2 prizes:

• The William Roper Memorial Prize for the 2^nd year student who received 5 A’s in the Conveyancing and Registration of Title Examination

• The Hugh Hart Prize (Shared) awarded to the students with the best performance in Legal Drafting & Interpretation and Landlord & Tenant Examinations with demonstrated involvement in co-curricular activities of the Law School

Hasani Mc Donald was awarded three prizes:

• The Council of Legal Education’s Most Outstanding Year 2 Student

• The Samuda and Johnson Prize awarded to the Year 2 Student with the best overall academic performance in Trial Advocacy and participation in community development-based activity

• The Grant Stewart Phillips & Co Prize to the final year student with the best performance in the aggregation of marks in Conveyancing and Registration of Title

In addition to being the one of only four persons in the graduating class to make the Principal’s Honour Roll, Kamau Grant was awarded 10 prizes:

• The Keith Stanford Sobion Memorial Prize (Shared) for outstanding performance and contribution to student activities and interest in the Norman Manley Law School

• The Sir Colin MacGregor Memorial Prize to the most outstanding student over two years in the areas of academic achievement, interest in the Legal Aid Clinic, the Norman Manley Law School and discipline and attitude to society

• The Courtenay Coye LLP Prize (Shared) to the most outstanding students over two years

• Two Raphael Codlin Memorial Prizes (Shared) to the most outstanding year 2 students and most outstanding students over two years

• The Kelsick, Wilkin & Ferdinand Prize to the best overall overseas student over two years

• The Michael Nunes Memorial Prize for most outstanding student in Law of Association

• The K.C. Burke Memorial Prize for most outstanding performance in Law of Association

• The Williams, McKoy & Palmer Prize to the final year male student who achieved a minimum of 5 A’s over two years and was involved in co-curricular activities of the Norman Manley Law School

• The Hugh Hart Prize (Shared) awarded to the students with the best performance in Legal Drafting & Interpretation and Landlord & Tenant Examinations with demonstrated involvement in co-curricular activities of the Law School

We are proud of all our alumni and wish them well in their future endeavours.

A total of fifty (50) participants comprising local and regional stakeholders are currently gathered at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort for the October 03-04 South-South Structural regional dialogue on climate finance.

The dialogue, which is held under the theme: ‘Navigating the Accreditation Process to Access Climate Finance for Direct Access Entities,’ is facilitated by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center (CCCCC) and sponsored by the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

At the opening ceremony on October 03, Minister of Environment and Climate Action, the Honourable Senator Dr. Joyelle Clarke said that for the first time in St. Kitts and Nevis’ ministerial portfolios climate action has been given a level of “prominence.”

“Climate Action and the work we are doing here with GCF communicates the urgency with which our country must treat Climate Change and climate resilience in particular. More importantly, it calls us to action whether in our own communities, as civil service organizations, educational institutions and private sector organizations,” said the Honourable Dr. Clarke.”  “And at the local and regional level, we have to work concertedly to ensure that we fight climate change.”

Dr. Clarke noted that St. Kitts and Nevis will continue to play its part to combat the negative impacts of climate change.

“The ability to set ambitious targets for our region is neither the problem nor the solution. St. Kitts and Nevis’s Nationally Determined Contribution (2021) has set an ambitious target of reducing economy-wide CO2 emissions by 61% by 2030 when compared to base-year 2010,” said Dr. Clarke. “The vision of our Climate Change Policy (2017) is for St. Kitts and Nevis to be at the forefront with respect to climate-resilient development in the Caribbean region. Further, our Climate Change Strategy (2018) highlights the importance of ‘mobilizing external climate finance to support effective adaptation planning and implementation.”

Participants involved in the climate finance dialogue hail from Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as host country St. Kitts and Nevis.

As he continues his call for greater climate action, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew is urging the international community and lending institutions to rethink the criteria currently being used for accessing concessional financing that can help build resilience against climate change.
 
Speaking on Sunday, October 2, 2022, at a church service of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) to celebrate 39 years of service to the people of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, Prime Minister Dr. Drew called for an end to the use of traditional indicators of development that insufficiently capture the vulnerabilities of small island nations. In most cases, Prime Minister Drew said this system of measurement unfairly prevents developing nations from accessing the help they need.
 
As such, the United Nations is working with SIDS on the development and implementation of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) that seeks to increase eligibility for small island developing states (SIDS) to receive greater financing to address their unique vulnerabilities. 
 
“We are really seeking for the world to join with us in accepting that the vulnerability index must be considered to allow regions like ours to have concessions when it comes to loans on the international market if we really are to build that resilience that we need,” the Prime Minister said.
 
“Today, we are enjoying a relatively good standard of living but because of climate change, even with its insidious negative impact on us, we can suffer a major hurricane that can set us back for decades. This is no longer a theory. This is actually what we are facing as a people,” Dr. Drew added.
 
Climate action and security were topics Prime Minister Dr. Drew addressed during his inaugural presentation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23, 2022.