Water Security Heart of Hanley’s Independence Address
BASSETERRE — Acting Prime Minister The Hon. Dr. Geoffrey Hanley delivered this year’s Independence Day address from the Basseterre desalination plant on Saturday, using the site to argue that true independence must be measured by the country’s capacity to provide for its people, not merely by “the flag we proudly raise” or “the celebrations we hold every September.”
Hanley spoke on behalf of Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, who is recovering from a stroke. He marked the Federation’s 43rd anniversary of Independence from the 2-million-gallon-per-day plant that converts seawater into potable water.
He said that when the government took office in August 2022, only about a quarter of St. Kitts residents had reliable round-the-clock water access; today, he said, roughly 70% do, following between EC$70 million and EC$100 million in water infrastructure investment, including new wells, expanded storage and pipeline replacement.
The acting prime minister tied water security to a broader “Country’s Sustainable Island State Agenda,” pointing to advancing geothermal energy development in Nevis and a procurement process launched for a 50-megawatt solar project with battery storage in St. Kitts as steps toward reducing fuel imports and strengthening economic independence.
On economic support, Hanley cited two minimum wage increases, bringing it to EC$12.50 an hour; new pension rights for government auxiliary workers such as school meal staff and crossing guards; the Aspire youth savings program, which he said has opened more than 4,000 accounts backed by EC$4 million in government funding; and over EC$34 million distributed to more than 22,000 people through a “Budget Boost Wallet” amid global inflation.
In healthcare, Hanley pointed to the construction of a new Joseph N. France General Hospital, a new digital health information system, and the addition of 47 trained nurses from Ghana, which he said improved the nurse-to-patient ratio from 1-to-7 to 1-to-4. On education, he noted 37 scholarships awarded last month for study in Taiwan, calling it the largest cohort of its kind in the country’s history, alongside continued construction of the new Basseterre High School.
Hanley also cited close to 400 homes built by the National Housing Corporation since 2022, and said Nevis surpassed 1 million cruise passenger arrivals this year for the first time since the pandemic, with visitor spending up 21% in the first quarter of 2026 over the previous year. He acknowledged unfinished work, including the cost of living, housing waitlists and gaps in infrastructure, health care and education.
The address culminated in the presentation of this year’s Independence national honors:
The Medal of Honour:
Alistene Clarke-Sutton – Public and Civic Service
Emileta Warner – Education and Academia
Dr. Stewart O. Williams (posthumously) – Public and Civic Service
Donaly Liburd-Chiverton – Law and Justice
Cecilia Phipps Heyliger – Community Service
Sonia Merritt-Moore – Diaspora Service and Entrepreneurship.
The Companion of the Star of Merit:
Elston Tuckett – Sports and Religion
Violet Petty – Education and Academia
Victor Eddy – Sports
Sandra Davoren – Security and Defence
Muriel Powell – Education and Academia
Marry Ann Wigley – Public and Civic Service
Leonard “Lenny” Lake – Sports
James “Mologo” Kelly – Sports
Eugenie Condor – Health and Community Service
Rev. Dr. Benjamin Browne – Religion and Spiritual Leadership
