Post-Cabinet Briefing for Monday, 23rd January 2023
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, January 24, 2023 (SKNIS) –The Cabinet Ministers met under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister, The Honourable Dr Terrance Drew, on Monday 23rd, January 2023 and made several significant decisions to improve the well-being of our people.
The Cabinet approved a key financial injection of over EC$1 million for the St. Kitts Music Festival. A portion of this support will facilitate the coverage of outstanding debts from the June 2022 staging of the Festival and assist with early marketing and promotion of this year’s event. The St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Administration remains committed to this world-renowned and leading Caribbean Music Festival which was established in 1996 under a previous Labour Party Administration. The 25th edition of the St. Kitts Music Festival is slated for June 2023.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the construction of the Buckley’s Uprising Monument Park. 1.57 acres of land at Buckley’s Estate has been earmarked for the Monument Park. On the eve of the 88th Anniversary of the January 28th, 1935 Uprising, the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Administration believes proper recognition for the heroes of that day is long overdue.
In that regard, the Cabinet also approved the creation of a Buckley’s Uprising Monument Park Committee, which will spearhead the work of creating a monument park that will be befitting of the sacrifices and memories of those fallen heroes who sparked the birth of democracy not only in St. Kitts and Nevis but throughout the entire Caribbean.
In its pledge to meet the housing needs of our people, the Cabinet approved, in principle, a EC$600 million housing project to provide an estimated over 2000 affordable housing solutions over the next 4-5 years. The requisite due diligence and other key assessments are being carried out before the finalisation of the proposed project.