PM Reflects on Government’s Achievements
(ZIZ News) — St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, the Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris used his 2015 Independence Day Message to reflect on the many accomplishments of the Team Unity-led government during its first seven months in office.
The Prime Minister said such accomplishments include the removal of VAT from food, medicine and funeral expenses; spearhead the compensation to more than 2000 former sugar industry workers and improve relations with the Nevis Island Administration.
“We have made a budgetary support to the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) of EC$ 10 million as a good faith measure. We recently signed commitment letters with respect to the NIA’s debt to the Kuwaiti government. This was necessary because the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is only one country, and we cannot be cavalier in our dealings with NIA. We promised the people of Nevis and St. Kitts a fresh start and a fair share and we are delivering on that undertaking,” he said.
Dr. Harris also highlighted the work being done to reform the federation’s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CBI).
“We have begun reforms at the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) – reforms which are organisational, administrative, legislative and philosophical. Some reforms will allow the most efficient ways of uploading Citizenship by Investment (CBI) applications not five days a week but 24/7. We have recalibrated our relations with USA, Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, particularly as it relates to our CBI,” he said.
In looking ahead, Prime Minister Harris said a collective effort is needed if they are to achieve their goal of creating a brighter future for all.
“Ours is a future that is bright and prosperous. It is also a future that will demand collective effort in order to achieve the goals we have set at both the individual and national levels,” he said.
“It is a future that requires wisdom and diligence in our undertakings; discernment in the use and investment of our limited resources; and guarded optimism in our approach to the daunting task of sustainable development in a vast global market for which there are no concessions and accommodations granted on account of our geographical smallness,” he added.