The Parks and Beaches Unit, which plays an important role in maintaining the beauty and attractiveness of St. Kitts and Nevis for its citizens and residents, as well as visitors to the destination, has successfully transitioned to the Ministry of Environment, said Senator, the Honourable Dr. Joyelle Clarke during Parliament on Tuesday, March 07, 2023.

“I should confirm that the Parks and Beaches Unit has comfortably transitioned to the Ministry of Environment, having moved from the Ministry of Public health,” said Dr. Clarke. “Parks and Beaches Unit is our ground game so to speak as it relates to very tangible and obvious steps towards transitioning to a sustainable island state.”

Senator Dr. Clarke noted that the Parks and Beaches Unit has come on board to ensure that the Federation’s recycling initiative continues to be strengthened.

“I can gladly report that they have accepted an additional remit to their operations which is not only cleaning the verges and the ghauts but also assisting with our Recycle SKN Project in collecting plastic bottled that we often see on the sides of the road when we travel through the country,” she said. “And you will also notice an increase in plastic bottles after heavy rain events which means our ghauts also need addressing.”

Equally important, Senator Dr. Clarke said that the ministries under her purview continue to play a significant role to transition the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis into a sustainable island state.

“It gives me great pleasure to report on the transition to a sustainable island state and the work that both the Ministries of Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment have been doing to ensure that our 2023 Budget and Policy presentation to the nation continues with our full ministerial work,” said Senator Dr. Clarke.

 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, announced in Parliament on Tuesday, March 07, 2023, that plans for the merger of the Estridge Primary School in Mansion and the Edgar T. Morris Primary School in Tabernacle have been finalized.

“I am happy to report to this Honourable House that we have the designs for the merger. Remember we indicated that we are merging the Estridge and Edgar T. Morris Primary Schools – they are merging come September,” said Education Minister Dr. Hanley.

The site of the new school will be in Tabernacle, while the site that currently houses the Estridge Primary School will be transformed.

“Come September, we are going to have a new look in a new area. The Estridge Primary School will be transformed into a state-of-the-art primary educational institution that will house our students from the Cotton Thomas Comprehensive School, and also, our Spectrum Centre would be there,” said Minister Dr. Hanley.

Deputy Prime Minister Hanley publicly thanked His Excellency Michael Lin, Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for the “support that he has offered at this time to ensure that they will construct that school for us as a gift for our 40^th Anniversary of Independence.”

In early February, the Ministry of Education rolled out several competitions inviting the general public to compose a new school song, create a motto and crest, as well as design a new school uniform. The deadline for the competitions is Friday, March 10, 2023.

 The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is gearing up to launch its housing initiative with the construction of 600 homes in the first instance.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Human Settlement, the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, made a statement in the National Assembly on March 07, 2023, outlining the government’s intention to begin construction.

“Six hundred homes will be constructed. I’m not talking about next year, I am talking about starting in a few weeks,” Dr. Hanley stated.

He noted that a model home will first be constructed so that citizens and residents can appreciate and tour a physical replication of the house design.

“We made a commitment to the country that we are going to deliver homes, and homes we will deliver,” the Deputy Prime Minister said, noting that the Government intends to deliver 2,400 homes over the next five years.

The Government intends to utilize sustainable construction methods to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Smart technology will also be integrated into the homes. The modern homes will also feature solar energy and water cisterns (water storage tanks).

With the support of the majority of the Members of Parliament, the Nurses and Midwives (Registration) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was read a second time and passed in the National Assembly on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

The Nurses and Midwives (Registration) Act provides for the establishment of a Nursing and Midwives Council, which should maintain a Register of nurses and midwives and a Roll of Nursing Assistants, who satisfy the conditions for admission to the Register. The legislation also provides for the Certification of registration, staff and expenses, the protection of members of the Council, duties of the midwife in an emergency, the penalties for the unlawful assumption of title of Registered Nurse, the falsification of the Register and suspension.

Under the previous legislation, nurses were asked to register yearly. Prime Minister and Minister of Health, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, who moved the Amendment to the Bill in the National Assembly, said this was inconsistent with best practice.

“It is not the norm of practice around the region and internationally to have nurses register yearly. One would admit that it carries a financial obligation, that’s one. And secondly, it really does not enhance, in a sense, the proper flow and practice of such a noble profession,” said Prime Minister Dr. Drew.

The Amendment to the Bill now requires nurses to be registered every two years before the 31st day of December.

Prime Minister Dr. Drew indicated that the passage of this key Amendment is one of the critical steps being taken to enhance the nursing profession in St. Kitts and Nevis.

He added, “Today, I am very happy to be able to bring this matter with the support of the [Nursing and Midwives] Council, with the support of the Nurses Association, and with the support of the Ministry, the support of the leadership at the community level…to really show that they welcome such a change.”

The Nurses and Midwives (Registration) (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed in the presence of members of the Nursing Association, the nursing leadership in the Ministry of Health and at the JNF General Hospital, members of the health community and members of the Nursing and Midwives Council who sat in the gallery during Tuesday’s (March 07) sitting of the National Assembly.

Scores of persons who were behind in paying their mortgages to the National Housing Corporation (NHC) have heeded the call to negotiate a payment plan that would supply funds necessary for the Corporation to reinvest into new housing initiatives.

The original call for persons to be responsible for meeting their monthly mortgage commitments was made in December 2022 by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Human Settlement, the Honourable Geoffrey Hanley. At that time, some $12 million were outstanding to NHC.

During the March 07, 2023, Sitting of the National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister Hanley provided an update to the nation.

“I’m happy to report … that 173 persons out of some 823 who have been delinquent, they have come in and made arrangements to start to pay for their homes,” the Deputy Prime Minister stated. “Madam Speaker, people are paying as low as $300 per month for their homes, and if you can’t do that, we still find a way to assist, so I appeal to the others to come in so that we can work with you.”

The monthly mortgage for many of the homes was as low as $475 per month.

The Human Resource Management Department on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture wishes to invite suitably qualified persons to fill the position of Marketing Manager.

The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the operations at the Marketing Unit in a manner that will increase the penetration of farmer’s produce to the supermarkets, restaurants, and hotels both locally and regionally, thus contributing to increase food and nutrition security and increased farmer earnings.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Conduct market surveys.
2. Generate awareness and demand for products and services.
3. Designing and evaluating marketing campaigns.
4. Conducting market research to find opportunities both locally and regionally.
5. Analyze market trends.
6. Collaborate with the communications unit to direct social media engagement strategies.
7. Implementation of a HACCP program from farm to market.
8. Set standards for farm produce marketed through the unit.
9. Generate reports quarterly and annual reports.
10. Contribute towards development strategies and implementation.
11. Create projects for the advancement of the unit.
12. Develop and update the budget for the marketing unit.
13. Organize departmental workshops aimed at improving the skill and knowledge of staff and farmers in marketing.
14. Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:

• MUST have a degree in marketing.
• At least 5 years of experience in a marketing role.
• Public speaking, promoting products and services.
• Experience in Agriculture will be an advantage.
• Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.

Knowledge & Skills:
In addition to the requirements above, the post holder must have the following skills:

• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office.
• The ability to conduct research.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Good administrative skills.
• Organizational and multi-tasking abilities.
• Ability to work independently and with a team.
• Must have a driver’s license.

Salary: (K33- K40) ($59,340- $79,668) per annum


Applications must be accompanied by:
·         Letter of Application
·         Curriculum Vitae
·         Police Record
·         Official academic certificates, transcripts and other relevant documents (certified copies)
·         Two (2) references with telephone and e-mail addresses and should be addressed to:

Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Marine Resources and Cooperatives
3^rd Floor, Government Headquarters, Church Street, Basseterre, St. Kitts
Email:moa@gov.kn



The deadline for receipt of applications is

March 31, 2023

The Human Resource Management Department on behalf of the National Audit Office wishes to invite suitably qualified persons to fill the position of Executive Officer.
The successful candidate will be responsible for reporting to the Director of Audit and providing high-quality executive personal assistance and administrative support to the Director of Audit.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Receive and direct telephone calls for the Director of Audit.
2. Disseminate outgoing and incoming communication and reports.  Produce and distribute correspondence memos, letters and other documents to staff, Ministries and Departments.
3. Develop and maintain a filing system for invoices, vacation and other leave.  Prepare monthly reports to the Human Resource Management Department.
4. Requisition services and products for the Office and process payments.
5. Verify payroll data for the Office on a monthly basis.  Collect and distribute pay slips.
6. Draft minutes for management and staff meetings.
7. Assist with the annual budget preparations for the Office.
8. Liaise with the Administrative staff to ensure all tasks are complete.
9. Carry out administrative duties such as filing, typing, copying, binding and scanning.
10. Maintain electronic records of files.
11. Any other duty requested by the Director of Audit.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:

• Associates Degree in Management Studies/Diploma in Secretarial Studies
• At least 3 years of experience in general office.

Knowledge & Skills:
In addition to the requirements above, the post holder must have the following skills:

• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Good administrative skills.
• Management Skills
• Organizational and multi-tasking abilities.
• Must be able to handle sensitive information in a confidential manner.

Salary: (K28- K32) ($49,308-$57,228) per annum


Applications must be accompanied by:
·         Letter of Application
·         Curriculum Vitae
·         Police Record
·         Official academic certificates, transcripts and other relevant documents (certified copies)
·         Two (2) references with telephone and e-mail addresses and should be addressed to:

Chief Personal Officer
Human Resource Management Department
Office of the Prime Minister
Government Headquarters
Email: audit@gov.kn



The deadline for receipt of applications is 24^th March, 2023.

After almost two decades of negotiations, the UN membership finally concluded the UN Convention on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ).

The Treaty is the international legal regime aimed at the conservation and sustainable use of the biodiversity in the oceans beyond the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelves of states, commonly referred to as the High Seas. The High Seas, or the area beyond national jurisdiction, make up two-thirds of the Earth’s oceans.

“This is a real win for small island developing states like St. Kitts and Nevis,” says H.E. Nerys Dockery, St. Kitts and Nevis Ambassador to the UN. “It is hoped that once Member States begin implementation of the Convention, the international effort can result in greater ocean health.  Collective action is required to tackle overfishing, and polluting, amongst other issues, while ensuring that everyone, everywhere in countries large or small, high or low income, enjoys the benefits of the resources contained in the high seas.”

“The negotiations ended at around 9:30 pm Sunday night to rousing applause. Our CARICOM negotiators from Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana are to be highly commended for working non-stop during the final session which ran from 10 am on Friday until Sunday night,” Ambassador Dockery stated.

 They were able to advance critical priorities for the Caribbean region in the following areas:

1. Ensuring fairness and equity in the access and benefits sharing of the marine genetic resources discovered in the High Seas.
2. Ensuring developing countries have access to capacity building and transfer of marine technology.
3. Ensuring consistent monitoring of the activities in the High Seas, including through conducting environmental impact assessments.
4. Ensuring adequate funding for the implementation of the agreement, including through access to these funds for the State Parties that will ratify and eventually implement the Convention.

Underpinning the draft Convention as a fundamental principle is the “common heritage of mankind”, amongst others, which for small countries is essential to address the concerns in the areas beyond their jurisdiction.

The Group of 77 and China as well as the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) played exceptional roles in advocating the interests of developing countries as well as small island developing states. 

The Treaty draft will be adopted officially and then will be open for signatures/ratifications by different Member States. 

“The world needs more women and girls in Tech.”  This was the rallying cry during the opening segment of the Commission on the Status of Women that convened today at the United Nations and ends on March 17th.  “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls” is the priority theme guiding the next two weeks of Ministerial round tables, interactive dialogues, and general discussions as thousands of delegates from all regions of the world, NGOs, UN entities and youth representatives take the stage to advance the cause of women’s empowerment and women’s rights in the digital age.
 
H.E. Nerys Dockery headed the all-female delegation representing the Federation which also includes, Ms. Asha Desuza, First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of St. Kitts and Nevis to the United Nations and was also joined by Dr. Christine Walwyn and Ms. Dawne Williams of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women who are attending as civil society observers.  The delegation will soon be joined by the Honourable Senator Isalean Phillip, Junior Minister in the Ministry of Social Development, Youth Empowerment, Gender Affairs, Aging and Disabilities, who arrives in New York on Friday.
 
“This year’s convening of the CSW is taking place at a critical juncture,” says St. Kitts and Nevis’ UN diplomat, Ambassador Nerys Dockery. “Today delegates, especially delegates from small states like St. Kitts and Nevis, are here to draw global attention to the unequal pace of digital transformation within and across countries,  This digital divide has been magnified because of multiple crises including COVID-19, conflict, the growing cost of living, and climate change.  As a result of these challenges, the digital divide has become the new face of gender inequality.”
 
“Globally, only one in three positions in the technology sector are occupied by women.  Also, for women and girls the digital revolution represents both an opportunity and a threat. CSW67 represents a unique chance to address the gender gaps in technology and innovation, transform social norms, and empower women and girls. St. Kitts and Nevis, along with our CARICOM counterparts, have been very active in the negotiations on the draft outcome document to ensure that it spurs concrete action to remove barriers that prevent women and girls from accessing the digital world and inspires a global pact committing to new approaches to technology and innovation financing tailored to women’s and girls’ needs,” Ambassador Dockery concluded.
 
CSW67 is the first in its history to include young people in the dialogues with Ministers and other decision-makers, opening a space for their voices to be heard at the highest level and for their inputs to influence the outcome. St. Kitts and Nevis is proud that it will be represented at the highest level by its youngest Minister and Cabinet member in the person of Minister Phillip.

Resident High Court Judge, Honourable Mr. Justice Patrick Thompson, on March 6, 2023, discharged the injunction granted on February 25, 2023, to prevent the repatriation of Haitian Nationals who entered St Kitts and Nevis from Dominica by boat on February 3, 2023. The Ministry of National Security has undertaken to process the asylum requests tendered by local attorney-at-law, Mr. Craig Tuckett.

The fourteen Haitian nationals, who Mr. Tuckett claims to represent, two of whom are minors, are currently being detained pursuant to provisions of the Immigration Act, at a significant cost to the State. The Ministry of National Security is currently making swift arrangements for the asylum requests to be heard and determined.

Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew recently addressed the matter generally at his Special Interview on Thursday March 2, 2023, and said “[if] you send a message out there that [our Federation is] a safe haven, [our Federation would be] easily overrun…You also cannot participate in human trafficking. It is a difficult question.”

“This is not the first [arrival of Haitian nationals by boat into the Federation]; this is the second one that I know of since I have been the Prime Minister, and so we treat them with respect. You have to treat them humanely. These are our brothers and sisters from the region,” said the Prime Minister.

Further details about the court matter cannot be provided at this time as the matter is sub judice, under judicial consideration, and prohibited from public discussion. The Ministry of National Security is, therefore, concerned that numerous commentaries and publications about the details of this important matter have been circulating on social media and in the local and regional press.

The Ministry of National Security has assured the general public that this matter is being dealt with expeditiously and that, at the conclusion of the processing of the asylum requests, an update will be provided.