Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew will hold his first press conference for the new year on Wednesday, January 18 from 10:00 am at the Conference Room of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Lime Kiln, Basseterre. The Prime Minister will be joined by his Cabinet Ministers.  
 
Prime Minister Dr. Drew will use Wednesday’s press conference to again update citizens and residents on a number of matters of national importance including the 2023 Budget and the projected plans and projects for 2023.
 
The Prime Minister’s press conference will be broadcast live on Freedom (106.5) FM, Sugar City (90.3) FM, VON Radio (860 AM or 93.7 FM), WINN (98.9) FM, ZIZ Radio (95.9, 96.1, 96.3, 96.9 FM or https://zizonline.com/radio/live/), ZIZ TV (Channel 5 or https://zizonline.com/tv/channel-5/), and the Facebook and YouTube platforms of St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service (SKNIS) and ZIZ, and the YouTube channel of PMOSKN.

The 2022 class of the 25 Most Remarkable Teens in St Kitts and Nevis engaged in frank discussions with Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew on Saturday (January 14, 2023) during a dinner at the prime minister’s residence at Beacon Heights.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Youth Empowerment Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, as well as Junior Minister in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, the Honourable Isalean Phillip, also attended the dinner held in a relaxing and engaging atmosphere.

Prime Minister Dr. Drew welcomed the young people indicating that they are the first group to be hosted at the prime minister’s residence. He encouraged the teens to have fun but more importantly to speak candidly.

“…No grand speeches, no formal speeches, but to hear from you the youth of St. Kitts and Nevis,” Dr. Drew said. “What are your concerns, your ideas? What are the challenges you are facing? And, how we can really respond to your needs and help you to foster attitudes so that you can participate in nation-building and achieve your own personal goals?”

The group then had dinner followed by an open discussion forum. The young people highlighted concerns which included upgrading laboratories at the C. F. Bryant College CFBC), improving internet connectivity within high schools, enhancing internship opportunities, and creating job opportunities and support for young entrepreneurs.

The Ministers shared that an allocation of approximately $700,000 to upgrade the CFBC was included in the Budget for the 2023 fiscal year, and partnerships with two internet service providers will see improvements in connectivity by introducing fibre optic internet within schools in the coming months. However, they said this process has to be carefully managed. The opportunities for creatives in the growing Orange Economy, as well as the formation of the Small Business Ministry, were also highlighted. Plans to construct a multi-purpose indoor facility for sports and cultural performances were outlined.

Prime Minister Dr. Drew then welcomed opinions on creating accessible free healthcare with salary/wage deductions, and whether the option of working from home or a flexible schedule should become a regular feature in the Federation. The young people generally agreed that deductions to improve healthcare are a worthwhile investment as seen in Europe and other industrialized countries. It was opined that working from home might not be the best option for some at this time as accountability and productivity standards must be developed.

There was unanimous consensus to Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Hanley’s question if the hair restrictions in schools should be revisited. The remarkable teens proffered a measured approach allowing tidy hairstyles at moderate length, without any colouring or dyes.

At the end of the discussion, Prime Minister Dr. Drew thanked the teens for accepting his invitation to dine with him and said he was inspired by their contributions to nation-building at such a young age.

“Your country needs you; we need you. Don’t give up, see it through to the end,” he expressed while raising his glass in a toast.

The young people reciprocated their gratitude to the Prime Minister for his hospitality and opportunity to help shape public policy that will impact the people of the twin-island Federation.

 Laquandrè Lowrie, one of the 25 Most Remarkable Teens in St. Kitts and Nevis, applauded Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew for creating a special moment in his life that will not be forgotten soon.

Lowrie was among the 2022 class of the 25 Most Remarkable Teens who were invited to the residence of the prime minister on Saturday (January 14, 2023) for dinner and open dialogue. The reception was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Youth Empowerment, the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, and Junior Minister of Youth Empowerment, the Honourable Isalean Phillip.

“It was a very special opportunity we [got],” he stated, reflecting on the news that the teens were the first group to be hosted at the residence of the prime minister. “I loved how he (Dr. Drew) allowed us to say our points of view on different stuff and how we got to say our points of view on certain problems that we know about, but we just never got a chance to talk about.”

Niran Warde expressed similar sentiments about the evening, noting that the relaxed atmosphere contributed to the success of the evening.

“It was really nice that they allowed us as teens to give our opinions on certain questions,” he said. “They asked questions for school like certain hair length… getting new electronics for school, especially for the C. F. Bryant College. It was very nice and was a good opportunity.”

He noted that some topics, such as working from home and creating accessible healthcare options, prompted the teens to think creatively and offer suggestions.

“It was very intriguing. I never thought of those things before but being able to say I had a grown-up conversation was a good opportunity.” Mr. Warde added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lowrie said Dr. Dew was “a great host” and thanked him for everything.

Lowrie and Warde were inducted as remarkable teens during an award ceremony on November 30, 2022. The awards are distributed during a Special Sitting of the Federal Parliament.

The Law Commission of St Kitts & Nevis in fulfilling its legislative mandate as contained in the Law Commission Act, Cap.1.01, has completed another revision of the Laws of St Kitts & Nevis and the Ordinances of Nevis consolidated and revised for the period January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020.

This morning, the Minister of Justice & Legal Affairs Senator the Hon. Garth Wilkin and Officer in the Law Commission Mr Rohan Walters presented the revised Laws to Prime Minister, the Hon. Dr Terrance Drew at the Prime Minister’s Office. The Prime Minister was presented with the 2020 revised supplement bounded in 6 volumes and a pen drive containing the 2002, 2009, 2017 & 2020 Edition of the Laws.

The Law Commission’s work also includes the maintenance and updating of the legislative website database which hosts the repository for the laws and ordinances of St Kitts and Nevis, available at LawCommission.gov.kn.

As with the 2017 Revised Edition, the 2020 supplement was executed by the Law Commission in conjunction and consultation with the Regional Law Revision Centre in Anguilla. The Regional Law Revision Centre was incorporated in Anguilla on January 11, 2007, and was set up by the British government to assist its overseas territories with cost-effective law consolidation, revision and printing as opposed to the territories using the costly services of the UK-based printers and publishers. Since its inception, the Centre has been the one-stop-shop for law revision for independent jurisdictions such as Bahamas, Belize, Seychelles, and recently Guyana, to date the Centre has trained 320 persons from 20 countries in law revision and consolidation.

The Government of St Kitts and Nevis is pleased with its collaboration with the Centre and values its partnership. Consequently, the laws and ordinances can be purchased from the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs. Orders can also be made by utilising the “Order Form” on the Law Commission’s website and clicking “Publication” on the website’s front page.

The pricing structure for the laws and ordinances is as follows:

(1) 2020 revised supplement bounded in 6 volumes, 1-6: – EC$2700

(2) Pen drive containing the 2002, 2009, 2017 & 2020 Edition of the Laws – EC$675

(3) Combination of both a pen drive and a complete set of the 2020 supplement – EC$3,375

Feel free to contact the Ministry of Justice & Legal Affairs for further information.

Fifteen soldiers from the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) and five from the St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Services (SKNFRS) are better prepared to respond to catastrophic events after completing an advanced Search and Rescue course on Friday (January 13, 2023).

The training was organized by the SKNDF and facilitated by members of the Florida National Guard under a State Partnership Exchange Programme. Sessions during the January 09 to 13 workshop included theoretical and practical exercises based on various real-world events. The participants explored advanced techniques used during structural building searches and forest rescues.

Fire Officer Dennis Morris commended the five-day training.

“The training was very good. It was intense at times, and we learned a lot in the space of time,” Officer Morris stated.

Officer Morris is a member of the SKNFRS Search and Rescue Unit, so most of the course material and training exercises served as a refresher. The SKNDF soldiers, on the other hand, were excited as they used familiar techniques such as map reading to help execute the rescue mission.

Lance Corporal (LCpl) Val Henry was the only female on the course. During the practical exercises, she led one of the reconnaissance teams responsible for entering the building and identifying the wounded, casualties, building hazards, and other potential dangers. The information is then shared with the search and rescue teams to expedite the rescue process.

“You don’t want to go into a building blindfolded,” she said, noting that reconnaissance during rescue operations helps to protect the lives of victims and emergency officials.

The training also received high marks from Sergeant Xavier Grant. Grant is a member of the SKNDF Bravo Company (Reserves) and an Air Traffic Controller at the R. L. Bradshaw International Airport. He explained that the information shared by the Florida National Guard officials is extremely practical given that Reserve members are based throughout the Federation.

“This information can be applied in everyday situations,” Sergeant Grant stated. “For example, a teacher at school, having a situation. As a member of the SKNDF, she can use the information to help save [lives] and be better equipped to rescue a person in need of assistance.”

The building rescue exercises were conducted at the Fort Thomas Hotel, while the forest rescue was held in the rainforest.

Public and private sector stakeholders are meeting at the CUNA Conference Centre over the next two days to assess the country’s performance in meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Sherilita Dore-Tyson, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sustainable Development, welcomed the Mid-term Review of the United Nations (UN) Country Implementation Plan (CIP) during a brief ceremony on Thursday (January 12, 2023). The review is extremely useful in helping to coordinate and capture activities being undertaken by the UN in St. Kitts and Nevis and their impact on residents.

“As the new administration rolls out its priorities and programmes, the CIP is flexible enough to take stock of progress made and adjust the approaches according to changing needs and to ensure that success is achieved,” the Permanent Secretary stated. “… This, and successive reviews of the CIP will help our Ministry to fine-tune its own monitoring and evaluating systems, keep abreast of developments across all sectors and coordinate even better with other partners and donors outside of the UN.”

The classification of St. Kitts and Nevis as a high-income country, as well as the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has made it more challenging to achieve SDGs. However, the government has committed to achieving these goals.

“In this regard, the development of financing and mobilization strategies is needed to identify and close funding gaps for implementing national priorities,” Ms. Dore-Tyson said, adding that the Ministry has fully embraced this responsibility.

The outcomes of the country implementation plan review will help to inform discussions at an upcoming regional ministerial meeting.

On January 11^th, 2023, Saint Kitts and Nevis had the honour to host its first Ambassadorial visit of the New Year in the company of Her Excellency Mrs. Ute König, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany.
 
This visit comes at the peak of the Federation’s highly successful tourism season, with the Ambassador paying a courtesy call on the Rt Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs et al, while on private holiday aboard the Royal Clipper Cruises.
 
The Honourable Minister first acknowledged the long-standing friendly relations between Saint Kitts and Nevis and Germany and reiterated his commitment towards fostering closer ties under a scope of mutual interests within the fields of Climate Action, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Agriculture.
 
Minister Douglas referred to the ongoing Geothermal and Solar Energy projects across the Federation, soliciting Germany’s assistance in the development of desalination plants and other strategies that may aid in the Government’s renewable energy efforts.
 
To this, H.E. König assured of Germany’s devotion to Climate Action while discussing several laws and practices implemented to fulfill their green energy goals. She also extended on behalf of the Federal Government of Germany her thanks and appreciation to Saint Kitts and Nevis for its stance on the Russo-Ukrainian Conflict.
 
Both the Minister and Ambassador underlined the existence of several prospects that can serve to achieve common goals between the two countries, and as the New Year progresses, it is hoped that more tangible cooperation can come to fruition as a result of this meeting.

Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Dr. Joy St. John met today (January 11) in Basseterre with the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, and updated him on regional general public health matters with a particular focus on COVID-19.

Dr. St. John received an honorary Doctor of Science Degree from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, in October 2022 in part for her sterling contribution to navigating CARPHA’s effectual management of the Caribbean region’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Prime Minister Dr. Drew, who is a medical doctor by profession, warmly welcomed Dr. St. John and shared his philosophy in relation to the containment of respiratory infectious diseases and other public health concerns according to scientific evidence.

Dr. St. John said that she was very pleased with the engagement with the Prime Minister.

“I feel that St. Kitts and Nevis is very lucky to have the Minister of Health as the Head of Government,” said Dr. St. John.

She also said that she briefed the Prime Minister on the background of CARPHA and areas of capacity building between St. Kitts and Nevis and the regional health agency.

“Caribbean people have to live, work and play safely with COVID-19. I think that in the member states of CARPHA, we have vaccinated key sectors of the population including vulnerable groups,” Dr. St. John said while adding that Chief Medical Officers in the region have been tasked with monitoring levels of respiratory diseases and hospitalizations.

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws, was also present at the meeting. 

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is the new single regional public health agency for the Caribbean. It was legally established in July 2011 by an inter-governmental agreement signed by Caribbean Community Member States and began operation in January 2013. The Agency rationalizes public health arrangements in the Region by combining the functions of five Caribbean Regional Health Institutes (RHIs) into a single agency. They are the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI); the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC); The Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI); The Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRC) and The Caribbean Regional Drug Testing Laboratory (CRDTL).

The Cabinet Ministers met under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, on Monday 9^th January 2023 and made several significant decisions to improve the well-being of our people.

The Cabinet commenced its first meeting of 2023 with an inspirational and thought-provoking message from Pastor Lincoln Connor of the Antioch Baptist Church. Pastor Connor also offered words of prayer to the Cabinet members and by extension the government and people of St. Kitts and Nevis.

In keeping with the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Administration’s COVID-19 Recovery Plan to reignite and empower small businesses, the Cabinet approved various duty-free concession requests for a number of local micro, small and medium-sized businesses.

Cabinet Committees were established to further evaluate and investigate the feasibility and practicability of key sectoral, proposed projects in the areas of aquaculture, and also, resort and housing developments. Additionally, the evaluation of several water and electricity-related project proposals is nearing completion and updates will be shared subsequently.

The Cabinet received an update from The Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, Minister of Education, on the Cotton Thomas Comprehensive School project, which is currently in its preliminary planning stage. The Ministry of Education has gained the commitment from the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to finance and execute the project. To date, the land evaluation and topography, as well as the building assessment have been completed and the building design requirements have been submitted. The Cabinet is now awaiting the receipt of the initial design for consideration.