Several issues discussed between PM Douglas and OAS official

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas (left) and the locally-based Organisation of American States (OAS) Representative Mr. Starret Greene shake hands following the visit by PM Douglas to the OAS Office in St. Kitts.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JANUARY 11TH 2012 (CUOPM) – Issues ranging from energy to tourism and security were among matters discussed Tuesday between St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas and Resident Representative of the Organisation of American States (OAS), Mr. Starret Greene.

Dr. Douglas, who visited the OAS Office on Horsford’s Road, discussed with Mr. Greene the Civil Registry and Indentity Project in which the twin-island Federation is one of 5 OECS Countries that have signed on to the project – the OAS Universal Civil Identity Program of the Americas (PUICA).

The PUICA has developed its own software – the Caribbean Civil Registry and Identity System (CCRIS) in which the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has purchased proprietary software from FUJITSU the Advantix Civil Registry software.

There is a proposal to modify Advantix to do the digitalization of the archived records at the Civil Registry at a cost of US$30,000.

The OAS is proposing a more cost effective alternative that is in line with the budget allocated for this phase of the project.

The CCRIS software, originally developed for Haiti, has several features including record and store vital events electronically, register births and deaths in hospital, print certified copies of vital events (certificates), allows for Internet applications for certified copies of certificates, provides online people search, contains digital library of vital evens for access by other agencies, a National Identification feature for issuing National ID and interconnecting Registry offices nationwide.

In the area of energy, it was disclosed that the Draft National Energy Policy for the Federation is ready to be discussed with all stakeholders.

The OAS is working with a local consultant to get the Energy Department up and running. The OAS is supplementing the cost of the local consultant and has provided equipment and furniture to the tune of EC$6, 675.83.

The OAS is working with the Ministry of Housing, Energy, Public Works & Utilities to promote the National Energy Policy, a draft of which was send to Cabinet in April 2011.

Prime Minister Douglas was informed that the that under the OAS Sponsored Capacity Building: Tourism Certification and Training Project, a number of workers, representing several properties in the hospitality and tourism industry, received certification in their fields of specialization during the past 21 months.

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas (second from right) and OAS Representative, Mr. Starret Greene (left) with OAS staff members, Ms. Carol Seaton and Mr. Winston Hanley (second from left).

Training Workshops for Front Desk Operations, Hospitality Departments and Room Attendants have been completed and certification in the Banquet Server Hospitality Skills and Food and Beverage Line Level Skills will be held soon.

The Multi-dimensional security project on National Observatories on Crime and Violence to strengthen official data collection process on crime and judicial systems was discussed and it was disclosed that a local professional has been chosen to undertake the data collection.

Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Sam Condor and the OAS Representative, Mr. Greene, equipment was donated by the OAS.

Courses in Excellence in Screening Techniques aimed at enhancing the skills of security screeners as the first line of defense in international aviation; training to Law Enforcement officials, judges, prosecutors and members of the legal fraternity in trafficking in persons, especially women and children and a Drug Information Network Training Workshop to provide training for the establishment of a Drug Information Network to collect, analyze and disseminate information on illegal drugs for the purpose of monitoring trends, developing policy and implementing appropriate program and responses were held.

An update on the Cooperation Agreement between the OAS and St. Kitts and Nevis aimed at promoting Firearms Marking in Latin American and the Caribbean” – to establish a regulatory framework with respect to the implementation of the project to mark firearms was also given.

Prime Minister Douglas and the top local OAS official also discussed the issue of education which continues to receive the lion’s share of the OAS technical cooperation funding to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The OAS Scholarship and Training Program continues to provide tangible support to qualified applicants pursuing tertiary education in the region and in the Hemisphere.

The Leo S. Rowe Fund that provides interest free loans to students studying on American soil remains available to the Federation students who qualify and the OAS continues to provide technical assistance under its Special Multilateral Fund of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (FEMCIDI).