Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 6, 2023 (ZIZ Newsroom): Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew will be leading a delegation to the Canada-CARICOM Summit in Ottowa later this month.
The Summit runs from October 17 to 19 and will be the first time it is held in Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will co-chair the event along with Prime Minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit.
According to a statement the Summit will be held under the theme “Strategic Partners for a Resilient Future”, and will highlight Canada’s strong ties with the Caribbean and provide an opportunity for leaders to continue to strengthen cooperation and chart a better future for people in both regions.
The statement said the leaders will also work to fight climate change and address its impacts in the Caribbean, including by exploring ways to improve access to financing for Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean.
The delegation will include Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, Ambassador Larry Vaughan, Senior Foreign Service Officer, Samuel Berridge, and Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, Adelcia Connor-Ferlance.
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Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 6 2023, (ZIZ Newsroom): Nationals of St. Kitts and Nevis who meet certain requirements are able to travel to Canada without a visa.
In a statement issued on Tuesday Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, The Honourable Sean Fraser, announced the addition of 13 countries, including St. Kitts and Nevis, to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program.
Travellers from these countries who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA instead of a visa when travelling to Canada by air.
An Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air. An eTA is electronically linked to a traveller’s passport.
With a valid eTA, you can travel to Canada as often as you want for short stays (normally for up to six months at a time).
You can apply for an eTA on the Canada government’s website Canada.ca under the section immigration, refugees and citizenship.
The cost is 7 Canadian dollars. It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
The other countries that benefit from the program are Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Costa Rica, Morocco, Panama, Philippines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.
]]>The dialogue among the senior officials was co-chaired by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Aviation, Ms. Kaye Bass and Director General, Central America and the Caribbean, Global Affairs, Canada, Ms. Sylvia Cesaratto,
In presenting opening remarks, Permanent Secretary Bass thanked the government of Canada for its unwavering commitment and assistance throughout the years and in particular, the recent assistance being rendered to the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to assist in the fight against COVID19. The Permanent Secretary further underscored the importance of the historical relationship between the countries, while recognising that in these times of uncertainty, “we have a unique opportunity to jointly re-evaluate, recalibrate and re-imagine our cooperation and launch a roadmap for this new dispensation.” The COVID 19 pandemic has brought about a new era that has “forced developed and developing countries alike to come together to consider and design new paradigms for development” if we are to wholly subscribe to the many facets of the building back better agenda.
The discussion and views exchanged over the course of the consultation centered on shared priorities and explored investment and business opportunities for both countries through focused dialogue in the areas of economic recovery, trade, climate change, resilience and sustainability. Proposals for enhanced bilateral and multilateral collaboration inter alia in health, renewable energy, education, financing, agriculture, sustainable tourism, capacity building and continued advocacy for Saint Kitts and Nevis and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in global fora were also ventilated.
Ministries and government agencies including, International Trade, Agriculture, Environment, Finance, Tourism, the Saint Kitts Tourism Authority, and St. Kitts Investment Promotion Agency and Nevis Investment Promotion Agency shared presentations. From the Canadian side, the agencies presented included Immigration Refugee and Citizenship, Public Health, Clean Technology, Climate Change and the High Commission of Canada in Bridgetown, Barbados.
The afternoon’s virtual event was closed with a commitment to explore and develop a roadmap for cooperation that would not only define but also chart a concrete course for tangible fruits of meaningful cooperation in the future.
St Kitts and Nevis High Commission in Ottawa also participated in the meeting.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 15, 2021 (SKNIS): Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Lindsay Grant, explained during the Tourism Stakeholders Meeting on Wednesday 14 that his Ministry is doing everything in its power to direct traffic to the hotels to keep them afloat at this difficult time in history with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ministry of Tourism in its efforts to further increase traffic to the hotels within the Federation has “just recently embarked upon a 5-day getaway promotion for our stay-over visitors who would stay in the various hotels,” said Minister Grant.
He continued, “We know that coming up to this summer period over the last several years they have had the opportunity of being the beneficiaries of a St. Kitts Music Festival and the traffic that that brings.”
“Of course we are in a different space in 2021 and so we won’t have any St. Kitts Music Festival and for that we want you to make sure that we direct some traffic to the hotel industry,” he said.
“We have opened the booking window for that portion of the industry beginning April 1st, 2021 going to July 31st, 2021,” he added. “And that travel window for the bookings will give persons the opportunity to use the travel window from April 1 to September 5th, 2021.”
He said, “This has already been loaded on the St. Kitts destination website and so we are expecting some fruits of that labor.”
“We will continue our PR exercise in our primary source markets of the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, etc. to ensure that we keep our industry re-energized, and of course waiting for the brighter day which we expect to come very soon,” the Minister of Tourism said.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 09, 2021 (SKNIS): Since the roll-out of its COVID-19 vaccination programme on February 22, less than two months ago, St. Kitts & Nevis has done better with its vaccination programme than many countries in the developed and developing world, continuing with its stellar management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The country has only recorded a meagre 44 confirmed cases of the coronavirus with all cases recovered and no serious hospitalization of persons, although its JNF General Hospital in St. Kitts and Alexandra Hospital in Nevis, have been prepared with several ventilators, pharmaceuticals, and specialist healthcare workers even before there were one positive case. On top of that, the country’s astute management of the virus has not resulted in one death, a rarity globally.
While there are challenges in persuading citizens and residents in taking the jab, just like many countries around the world battling a ferocious misinformation and disinformation campaign, the country is doing well in vaccinating 10, 391 persons in just 47 days, reaching 31.45 percent of its target population of 33, 037 persons, who would make up the 70 percent required for herd immunity. The other 30 percent are under the age of 18 and not eligible to take the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, which is the only vaccine being offered in the country through COVAX, a global initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines led by UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and others.
As of April 7, 2021, the Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) Situation Report stated that Antigua & Barbuda had only vaccinated with one dose 27.4 percent of its population; Barbados 22.2; Dominica 24.6; Grenada 9.2; Montserrat 30.8; Saint Lucia 12.1; and St. Vincent and the Grenadines 9.7 percent. Canada had only vaccinated 16 percent of its population with one dose, the USA 33 percent, and the United Kingdom 48 percent. However, it must be noted that their vaccination roll-out programmes began weeks ahead of St. Kitts & Nevis’.
The Ministry of Health has been hosting Vaccination Information Sessions to address citizens and residents genuine concerns with respect to taking the vaccination especially over concerns seen in the news, the fact that the vaccines are new, and that the world had not seen a pandemic in a century.
However, an important milestone was achieved when the Ministry of Health not only met its target of vaccinating 10, 000 persons by April 16 but even surpassed it by almost 400 persons.
St. Kitts and Nevis is on the road to economic recovery and as the country continues with its vaccination programme, which is crucial to that recovery, business leaders, church leaders, and public sector officials are encouraged to persuade those in their charge to take the jab.
Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris, in speaking to a gathering of business executives and senior-level government officials at a forum at the Royal St. Kitts Hotel on April 9, 2021, to discuss the socio-economic recovery of the country, said that the road to that recovery relies heavily on the successful roll-out of the vaccination programme.
“The vaccines are now here but it is relying upon you and me to make the right decision if we are to get the [pandemic] behind us and that in itself poses a challenge. It poses a challenge for the overall trajectory of the country because the actions of one individual or a few individuals could determine whether or not we recover fast or we recover slowly. That is why we need to have all hands on deck, all involved and that is why the philosophy that we developed of an all-of-society response, which has kept us safe with the best record among independent countries in the hemisphere, that philosophy must continue even now,” he said.
“It’s a long journey but every step is an important one that gets us to the goal of herd immunity – the 70 percent target that we have set for ourselves and we need to commend each other and encourage each other for doing good. Taking the vaccination is not just about individual and individual rights. Taking the vaccination is an act of selflessness, in my view, it is an act of patriotism because the very act can determine how far we go, how soon we will get there, whether 2000-plus people in the tourism industry will be able to get to work again depends on whether or not the taxi drivers, those in our restaurants, those in our schools get themselves vaccinated,” Prime Minister Harris added.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 24, 2021 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs): The Government of Canada is in the process of reviewing its COVID-19 quarantine protocols regarding Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) who arrive in Canada.
At or about the start of 2021, the Government of Canada has worked to develop a tailored solution to accommodate the anticipated volume of TFWs arriving in Canada this Spring. Part of this solution included a deferral for certain TFWs – including workers in Agriculture, Agri-food, and Fish and Seafood sectors with new requirements to stay in a Government Authorized Accommodation (GAA) upon arrival.
As of Sunday, 21st March 2021, based on their final destination, Asymptomatic TFWs who arrive in Canada by private transportation and are accompanied only by others who travelled with them to Canada, will be able to travel directly to their places of quarantine after receiving a COVID-19 test at the airport. TFWs who will need to travel by public means to a secondary location upon arrival in Canada will be required to stay in a GAA and await the results of their COVID-19 test. Provided that TFWs have a suitable quarantine plan, the Government intends to ensure that employers and TFWs will not assume incremental costs associated with the three-day quarantine requirement at the point of entry. Workers will also be provided with supports on arrival and during their hotel stay.
The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of timely arrival of workers for sectors like Agriculture, Agri-food, and Fish and Seafood Processing, hence why it continues to explore how best to support TFWs and employers to ensure that TFWs can arrive and remain in Canada safely for the duration of their work.
For further details, interested persons can visit the Government of Canada website at www.gov.ca.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (March 22, 2021) – – Hon. Premier Mark Brantley, Minister of Foreign Affairs for St. Kitts and Nevis, has made intervention to its ally the United States of America for the provision of COVID-19 vaccines for the federation and the rest of the Caribbean region.
“We in the Caribbean continue to make the passionate plea that vaccines be made available to us with some alacrity…
“We are aware from reports in the New York Times just yesterday that the great United States of America has made vaccines available to Mexico and Canada.
The Foreign Minister noted that St. Kitts and Nevis and the wider Caribbean region, including Latin America, have been experiencing some challenges accessing COVID-19 vaccines.
He urged the OAS General Secretary for assistance in this regard.
“The other issue of course has to do with the equality of vaccine access and that has proven problematic, because naturally some countries are in a better financial position than others, some countries are themselves producers of vaccines.
The OAS Secretary General said he too joins the call for equal access to and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (February 25, 2021) — Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis congratulated the Four Seasons Resort, Nevis on its 30th anniversary of operations on the island. It was opened on February 14, 1991.
The Premier, who is also the Minister of Tourism in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) expressed appreciation for the resort while delivering remarks at his monthly press conference in Cabinet Room at Pinney’s Estate on February 25, 2021.
“Let me take a moment as well to congratulate the Four Seasons Resort. They have just celebrated their 30th anniversary and I believe the Four Seasons deserves a special word of commendation because they have been here for the past three decades and have contributed tremendously to the life and times of this island.
“Nearly every family on this island has had some contact with the Four Seasons either as a worker or family member working or they have been a supplier, a provider, a contractor with the Four Seasons. Our fisherfolk, our farmers, everybody has had some contact with that resort,” he said.
Mr. Brantley stated that the resort has expanded since opening up on Nevis and continues to demonstrate its confidence in the island’s economy.
“When it started it was obviously just the hotel, now they have something I believe, in the region of 60 plus villas that form a part of that as well, and so the vision of Four Seasons is still manifesting itself 30 years on.
“In recent times this government would have been part of the re-negotiation and sale of that property to a new group and we would all recall that, that new group has invested upwards of US$60million in upgrades, again a significant investment which demonstrated confidence in the island of Nevis and the local economy,” he said.
The Premier noted that the Nevis resort was the proprietors first property outside of the United States and Canada, and recalled his meeting with the hotel’s founder.
“I think the public should consider for a moment Nevis of 30 years ago… If you reflect on Nevis 30 years ago you get a sense of what a quantum leap it must have been for Four Seasons to have come, and I recall the opportunity that I had to meet with Isadore Sharp who was the founder of Four Seasons at his home in Toronto, and Mr. Sharp said to me when he saw the site he fell in love, and the rest as they say is history. So we are grateful to them. I think 30 excellent years, and we thank them for their contribution,” he said.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (February 19, 2021) – Hon. Mark Brantley, Minister of Foreign Affairs for St. Kitts and Nevis is leading a delegation to the inaugural meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-Canada Foreign Ministers’ Group, being held virtually on February 19, 2021.
According to Mr. Brantley, the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, economic recovery and inclusive growth will feature in the discussions during the summit.
“Canada has been a good friend to the region over all these years and today we are convening, Foreign Ministers in the region, with the Foreign Minister of Canada, Honorable Marc Garneau.
“The idea would be to discuss matters in this COVID environment as to recovery, air travel, and various issues such as our vulnerability index, and availability of vaccines.
“I am the lead spokesperson for CARICOM on one of the categories which looks to the impact of COVID-19 and we are hopeful that through this dialogue we can strengthen relations with Canada and ensure that moving forward CARICOM and Canada continue to be steadfast friends,” he said.
The Foreign Minister stated that the regional group is hopeful for positive outcomes from the high-level meeting as Canada has shown its willingness to re-engage with the region and strengthen its co-operation with CARICOM.
According to the CARICOM Secretariat, the establishment of the CARICOM-Canada Foreign Ministers’ Group will provide the parties with an institutionalized framework to discuss on a regular basis their shared priorities at the ministerial level.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, January 14, 2021 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs): International students contribute over $21 billion annually to Canada’s economy and support vitality in its communities. As has been the case in many other places, COVID-19 has presented a myriad of challenges for its international students. Most notably, for many holders of a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), the pandemic’s disruption and uncertainty have jeopardized their chances of obtaining the work experience they need to apply for permanent residence.
As part of the Government of Canada’s efforts to support international students through this challenging time, the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship of Canada has announced that former international students who hold or held a PGWP will have the opportunity to apply for an open work permit.
Foreign nationals in Canada affected by the pandemic with an expired or expiring PGWP will have a unique chance to apply for another open work permit. These will be valid for 18 months and will allow former international students to remain in Canada, continue to seek employment, and build their future there.
The Canadian government has made significant efforts to encourage international students to settle permanently in Canada, as they help create jobs and fill labour shortages. More than 58,000 graduates successfully applied to immigrate permanently in 2019, and their decisions to stay in Canada will help to address its stark demographic challenges.
As Canada confronts the pandemic’s second wave and charts a course for recovery, attracting skilled immigrants is a central part of its plan. This new policy will help more graduates fill pressing needs in areas like health care, technology and more.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, January 14, 2021 (SKNIS): Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, has hailed the citizenship by investment (CBI) programme as being successful in attracting businesses to the Federation.
During his Monthly Press Conference on January 14, 2021, at the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) conference room, he said that “When we look in our local domain we see a number of businesses coming on stream by Chinese, the principals behind them are all citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis, and they have come through that particular route,” said the Honourable Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Harris noted that an example of this success is the principal of the Galaxy Hotel gaining his citizenship through the CBI programme.
He said, “Just last week we had the grand opening of the Lans Kitchen Restaurant in Frigate Bay, a new upscale cuisine being added to the menu of services offerings here in St. Kitts and Nevis and the lady behind that again is a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
“So, we have a wide range of interest in our CBI programme, that is why it has become the platinum brand because persons from everywhere have come and have participated with respect to the CBI programme,” said Prime Minister Harris.
He stated that the persons who come to the programme are from all walks of life and hail from a variety of different countries including the United States of America, Canada, Russia, China, and “almost every area of the globe, the programme has found attraction.”
He explained however that the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis does not discriminate from countries making applications to the programme except for three countries.
“For example, Iran is one such country, North Korea is one such country, these internationally have been described as or prescribed as countries that have an international black mark,” said the Prime Minister.
“Because we do not wish to incur any reputational damage, we have taken the decision as a new Government to not entertain applicants from persons resident in North Korea and Iran,” he said.
“Iran for a long time has been described as a state sponsor of terrorism and we would not want our CBI programme to get involved or be intermingled in any such accusations which regard to the applicants,” said Prime Minister Harris.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 18, 2020 (SKNIS): The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis welcomes closer ties with diplomatic allies across the globe through new appointments and accreditations, said Minister of Foreign Affairs and Civil Aviation, the Honourable Mark Brantley.
One such appointment is that of an ambassador of Ethiopia to St. Kitts and Nevis. While lending support to the Budget Debate on day three, December 17, 2020, Minister Brantley said this appointment is historic as this marks the first time an Ethiopian has been appointed ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis.
“This, Mr. Speaker, is very significant because we have talked about a closer connection with Africa. We are of Africa and many I believe, have agreed that there ought to be a closer nexus between the Caribbean and Africa and that we ought in every sense to be a part of the so-called sixth region of Africa,” said the foreign minister. “Ethiopia is important diplomatically and strategically because Ethiopia hosts the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa and, therefore, it affords St. Kitts and Nevis an opportunity to engage through Ethiopia with the African Union.”
Minister Brantley added that such a relationship could also prove strategically sound for diplomatic interactions between the Caribbean Community [CARICOM] and the African Union.
“Mr. Speaker, it ought to be of interest to you and the nation that CARICOM with its 13 independent members, the African Union with 55 independent countries – that together they constitute 35 percent of the nations reflected at the United Nations (UN). If you are able to add the Latin American countries, that jumps from 35 to 52 percent – a clear majority of nations at the UN,” he said. “I say that because in multilateral organizations, because of multilateralism, each country has the same one vote despite your size, and so numbers matter.”
He noted that “if we can harness the synergies” to bring all these organizations together “we will become a potent force in the multilateral organizations around the world.”
Equally important, Spain appointed a new Honorary Consul to St. Kitts and Nevis in the person of Giselle Clarke-Farago, who presented her credentials to Minister Brantley on Friday, October 09, 2020. Rodina Reid, a native of St. Kitts was appointed Honorary Consul for Saint Kitts and Nevis in Jamaica, and Her Excellency Ambassador Sherry Tross, St. Kitts and Nevis’ High Commissioner in Ottawa, Canada, was appointed as St. Kitts and Nevis’ Ambassador to Panama.
The ambassador of the Netherlands to St. Kitts and Nevis and the ambassador of Ethiopia to St. Kitts and Nevis are yet to present their credentials.
]]>BASSETERRE (12th December, 2020): St. Kitts & Nevis has added a new property to the list of Travel Approved hotels for International Travelers and a new quarantine property for Nationals/Residents as the twin-island nation welcomes more visitors and returning Nationals/Residents to its shores. All other travel requirements outlined below remain unchanged and should be referred to by those planning a trip to the Federation during Phase 1 of the reopening.
All incoming passengers to St. Kitts & Nevis are required to complete the Travel Authorization Form, which can be found at www.knatravelform.kn, prior to their arrival. International travelers must have their negative RT-PCR test and booked accommodation to complete the Travel Authorization Form required for entry. Once the form is completed and submitted, with a valid email address, it will be reviewed, and the visitor will receive an approval letter to enter the Federation (letter as pictured below).
The Federation’s phased approach for reopening outlines the specific travel requirements for travelers arriving by Air and Sea for Phase 1.
A. Travelers arriving by Air (Private Jets, Charters and Commercial Aircraft) please note below:
International Travelers (Non-Nationals/Non-Residents)
Travelers coming from the Caribbean (including those within the “CARICOM travel bubble”), US, Canada, UK, Europe, Africa and South America. These travelers must meet the following requirements:
Complete the Travel Authorization Form on the national website (www.knatravelform.kn) and upload an official COVID 19 RT-PCR negative test result from a CLIA/CDC/UKAS approved lab accredited with ISO/IEC 17025 standard, taken prior to 72 hours of travel. They should also bring a copy of the negative COVID 19 RT-PCR test for their trip.
Undergo a health screening at the airport which includes a temperature check and a health questionnaire.
Download the SKN COVID-19 contact tracing mobile app (full details yet to be released), to be used for the first 14 days of travel or less.
1-7 days: visitors are free to move about the hotel property, interact with other guests and partake in hotel activities.
8-14 days: visitors will undergo a RT-PCR test (USD 150, visitors’ cost) on day 7. If the traveler tests negative on day 8 they are allowed, through the hotel’s tour desk, to book select excursions and access select destination sites (details on available tours below).
14 days or longer: visitors will need to undergo a RT-PCR test (USD 150, visitors’ cost) on day 14, and if they test negative the traveler will be allowed to integrate into St. Kitts and Nevis.
Travelers staying 7 nights or less, are required to take a RT-PCR test (USD 150, visitors’ cost) 72 hours prior to departure. The RT-PCR test will be done on the hotel property, at the nurse’s station. The Ministry of Health will advise the respective hotel, of the date and time for the traveler’s RT-PCR test before departure. If positive before departure, the traveler will be required to stay in isolation at their cost, at their respective hotel. If negative, travelers will proceed with departure on their respective date.
Upon arrival if a traveler’s RT-PCR test is outdated, falsified or if they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 they will be required to undergo a RT-PCR test at the airport at their own cost.
Approved hotels for international travelers are:
Four Seasons
Golden Rock Inn
Koi Resort, by Curio, Hilton
Marriott Vacation Beach Club
Paradise Beach
Park Hyatt
Royal St. Kitts Hotel
St. Kitts Marriott Resort
International travelers who would like to stay at private rental home or condo must stay at a property that has been pre-approved as a quarantine housing at their own cost, including security. Please submit request to info@stkittstourism.kn.
At this time the only tour open to International Travelers is the Kittitian Highlights tour which includes a visit to Timothy Hill overlook, the capital city of Basseterre’s historical sites and Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Returning Nationals, Residents (proof of residency stamp in passport), Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME) certificate holders and Work Permit Holders
Travelers who are returning Nationals, Residents (proof of residency stamp in passport), Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME) certificate holders and Work Permit Holders). These travelers must meet the following requirements:
Complete the Travel Authorization Form on the national website (www.knatravelform.kn) and upload an official COVID 19 RT-PCR negative test result from a CLIA/CDC/UKAS approved lab accredited with ISO/IEC 17025 standard, taken prior to 72 hours of travel. They should also bring a copy of the negative COVID 19 RT-PCR test for their trip.
Undergo a health screening at the airport which includes a temperature check and a health questionnaire.
Download the SKN COVID-19 contact tracing mobile app (full details yet to be released), to be used for the first 14 days of travel or less.
Any traveler in this category will be allowed entry into the Federation and transported to approved accommodations, where they will stay at their cost for 14-days in quarantine. The cost for quarantine at the Government facility at Bird Rock Apartment Complex is USD 500.00, OTI is USD 500.00, at Potworks it is USD 400.00 and the cost for each COVID-19 test is USD 100.00. Returning nationals and residents may also opt to stay in pre-approved quarantine housing at their own cost, including appropriate security.
The approved accommodations are:
Bird Rock Apartment Complex
Ocean Terrace Inn (OTI)
Oualie Beach Resort
Potworks
Royal St. Kitts Hotel
Any traveler in this category who wishes to stay in one of the eight (8) approved hotels for “Vacation in Place,” for International Travelers are required to do the following:
1-7 days: nationals/resident visitors are free to move about the hotel property, interact with other guests and partake in hotel activities.
8 -14 days: nationals/resident visitors will undergo a RT-PCR test (USD 150, nationals/resident visitors’ cost) on day 7. If the traveler tests negative on day 8 they are allowed, through the hotel’s tour desk, to book select excursions and access select destination sites (listed above under requirements for International Travelers).
14 days or longer: nationals/resident visitors will need to undergo a RT-PCR test (USD 150, nationals/ resident visitors’ cost) on day 14, and if they test negative the traveler will be allowed to integrate into St. Kitts and Nevis
In-Transit Passengers
Passengers who are in-transit at RLB Airport must observe the following requirements:
Show a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result upon arrival
Must wear a mask at all times
Undergo a focused health screening at the airport
Must remain in the airport after clearing customs
Travelers may consult TestforTravel.com to find a lab in their area that offers RT-PCR testing that can be completed in the required 72-hour window. Please note, the traveler is responsible for confirming that the lab is a CLIA/CDC/UKAS approved lab with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, as results from a non-accredited laboratory will not be accepted.
The information contained on TestforTravel.com is for information purposes only. The St. Kitts Tourism Authority and Nevis Tourism Authority have no affiliation with TestforTravel.com and are not endorsing this list or the particular labs listed therein. Neither the St. Kitts & Nevis Tourism Authority nor the Nevis Tourist Authority make representations or warranties of whatever nature in respect to TestforTravel.com including, but not limited to, the accuracy or completeness of any information and facts contained therein.
B. Travelers Arriving by Sea (Private Vessels e.g. Yachts) please note below:
Travelers arriving via the country’s seaports must meet the following requirements:
Complete the Travel Authorization Form on the national website (www.knatravelform.kn) including evidence of a negative RT-PCR test. The test must be done 72 hours prior to departing the last port of call or conducted before departure if they are at sea longer than 3 days.
The vessel will be required to dock at one of six ports, submit the Maritime Declaration of Health to the port health officer and interact with other border agencies. The six ports are: The Deepwater Port, Port Zante, Christophe Harbor, New Guinea (St. Kitts Marine Works), Charlestown Pier and Long Point Port.
These travelers will be processed accordingly and will vacation in place or quarantine as previously outlined. The prescribed quarantine time will be determined by the vessels or ships transit time from the last of port of call to their arrival to the Federation. Transit time must be supported by official documentation and sail clear advance notification system.
Yachts and pleasure vessels over 80 feet must quarantine at Christophe Harbor in St. Kitts. Yachts and pleasure vessels less than 80 feet must quarantine at the following locations: Ballast Bay in St. Kitts, Pinney’s Beach and Gallows in Nevis. There is a fee to monitor yachts and pleasure vessels that are less than 80 feet that are in quarantine (fee to be announced later).
The CDC currently rates St. Kitts & Nevis as Level 1: Low Risk of COVID-19, having had only 27 cases of the coronavirus, no deaths and no community spread.
Stakeholders in every sector of the industry have been trained in our health and safety protocols, which include a comprehensive system of inspection and monitoring to encourage everyone to maintain the basic standards. Stakeholders who have participated in the training receive a certificates and business who have been inspected and meet the “Travel Approved” criteria, will receive their “Travel Approved” Seal.
Specifically, the “Travel Approved” program achieves two things:
Visitors will also be asked to follow basic health and safety protocols of frequent handwashing and or sanitizing, physical distancing and mask wearing. Masks are required whenever the visitor is outside of their hotel room.
Travelers should regularly check the St. Kitts Tourism Authority (www.stkittstourism.kn) and Nevis Tourism Authority (www.nevisisland.com) websites for updates and information.
Specifically, the “Travel Approved” program achieves two things:
Visitors will also be asked to follow basic health and safety protocols of frequent handwashing and or sanitizing, physical distancing and mask wearing. Masks are required whenever the visitor is outside of their hotel room.
Travelers should regularly check the St. Kitts Tourism Authority (www.stkittstourism.kn) and Nevis Tourism Authority (www.nevisisland.com) websites for updates and information.
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, December 7, 2020 (MMS-SKN) — Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, on Sunday December 6 joined the congregation at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Lemon Hill, Bourryeau, for worship as he celebrated the 27th anniversary of service to the country as a Parliamentarian and his birthday, where he took time to thank his supporters over the years.
“It is really a good feeling to be here and I want to thank all who have taken the time out to be part of this very special service intended to acknowledge God’s presence in my own life,” said Prime Minister Harris as he reflected on the 27 years he has served the people of St. Kitts and Nevis first as a parliamentarian, Government Minister and now as the country’s third Prime Minister.
Officiating at the service was Pastor Michael Penny who also delivered the sermon. He noted that Prime Minister Harris drew many people to church irrespective of whichever church he attends, and thanked him for choosing Mt. Carmel Baptist Church as the venue for the combined anniversaries celebration.
Prime Minister Harris who was first elected to Parliament on November 29, 1993, told the congregation that he had never considered that his future would be one involved in politics, noting that at school he was shy and did not anticipate the (political) journey that he later embarked. He told the congregation that his ambition was to become a teacher.
“I got there (political arena) largely on the wings of love of the good people of St. Christopher Seven way back in 1993 November when I was called home (from Canada) to duty,” he explained. “They gave me outstanding support beyond belief and for that I will always be internally indebted to the wonderful people of St. Christopher Seven.”
The Honourable Prime Minister added: “Time after time, through seven elections you have never let me down. And it has never been the question of whether we will win, but by how much we will win. So I thank you for all those years of long faithful support and for the strong bonds of friendship and love which we have developed and the unbreakable connection between all of you and myself and my family.”
He thanked members of his family noting that every pain he went through they would have felt and they stood with him all the years. According to Dr Harris, before his entry to politics his family was not a political family noting that the family was then split in terms of party loyalty, as his grandparents supported a different party.
“And so I want say thank you to all of them,” said the Prime Minister. “I want to thank Donna the oldest on my mother’s side, I want to thank Janine the youngest on my mother’s side, and Lenworth who in the later years became campaign manager in the constituency and led us through four general elections successfully.”
Now the National Political Leader of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) which he founded after he left the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, Prime Minister Harris told the congregation that one of the most difficult elections was that of 2015 because by then he had parted from the natural base of the Labour Party. He explained that it was a very difficult time because everything was being done to prove the point that his party could not prevail outside of the Labour Party umbrella.
“I want thank the extended Team Unity Family though, and the people of St. Kitts and Nevis who knew that the time had come for something different, for a reuniting of the country, for bringing back positive energy, for an attempt to take the country to some place better, some place stronger, some place more united, some place where the hopes and dreams of people could be realised,” commented Dr Harris.
The Prime Minister added: “Allow me to thank the leader of the Peoples Action Movement (PAM), my Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Shawn Richards, for being one of those persons who believed in the vision of Unity.”
He wished his Deputy, who was present at the church service, advance birthday wishes as he celebrates on Tuesday December 8.
Dr Harris also thanked Ambassador His Excellency Vance Amory, who was then the leader of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) party, noting that Hon Amory was then the most senior of the politicians being in the Federal Parliament for a long time. He recalled that they met and chitchatted at which time Amory said to him, “Timothy, I think you should lead – I will give my support to you.”
He was joined at the service by Cabinet colleagues Minister of Health the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett, and Attorney General the Hon Vincent Byron Jr. Others included Deputy Speaker Senator the Hon Dr Bernicia Nisbett, Ambassadors His Excellency Michael Powell, His Excellency Ian Patches Liburd, His Excellency Kevin ‘Ninky’ Williams, Chargé d’ Affaires of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Mr Marco Guzmán, and the Director of St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board Mr Antonio Maynard.
Also present were members of the National Executive of the Peoples Labour Party, the various PLP Constituency Branch Executives, and members of Constituency Number Seven Women’s Group who presented Prime Minister Harris with a bouquet of flowers and a plaque with a collage of pictures depicting a reflection of his twenty seven years of exemplary service to country. He was also honoured by the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church’s Camp Ezekiel which he has supported over the years.
]]>Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers from Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and KwaZulu-Natal have emphasised the importance of independent Parliaments and Legislatures and the adaptations that have been made, especially during the current COVID-19 global pandemic, during the second webinar on this topic organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. The CPA webinar for Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth provided a timely and unique opportunity to examine the nature of Parliaments as independent institutions in the context of COVID-19.
The first panelist was the CPA President, Hon. Anthony Rota, MP, Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada spoke about the Canadian Parliament’s experience of virtual proceedings during the current COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of a healthy and functioning Parliament to democracy. The Parliament of Canada has implemented hybrid proceedings as a temporary measure in consultation with both Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff and required the support of the Opposition to support emergency legislation.
Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George, Speaker of the House of Representatives at the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago spoke about maintaining parliamentary procedures for all Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Parliament, which was not suspended or restricted at any time. The Parliament had implemented strict screening processes and safety measures, including the reconfiguration of the chamber. Speaker Annisette-George also spoke about the ‘people-centered’ approach to working adopted by the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago that included working from home and staggered working for Members and parliamentary staff.
Rt Hon. Dame Eleanor Laing, MP, Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, spoke about the importance that the UK Parliament had placed on maintaining parliamentary sittings during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that Parliamentarians were able to continue to scrutinize the Executive. The UK Parliament has implemented ‘socially-distanced’ proceedings and has allowed some MPs to participate via video technology.
The Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Hon. Nontembeko ‘Ntobeko’ Boyce, MPL spoke about the experience of a provincial legislature in South Africa and the coordination with the national Government and local authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislature has continued sittings but also used IT technology and social distancing measures to ensure that safety was maintained.
Matthew Salik, Head of Parliamentary Development at the CPA Headquarters Secretariat spoke about the launch of the CPA’s Model Law for Independent Parliaments earlier this year and the CPA’s work with Commonwealth Legislatures on establishing Parliamentary Service Commissions and ensuring that Parliaments can remain robust, effective and independent institutions.
Speakers and Presiding Officers attended the CPA webinar from many Commonwealth Parliaments including Uganda, Mauritius, South Africa, Zambia, Malta, Alberta, Bermuda, Sierra Leone, Ontario, Lesotho, St Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Yukon, Saint Lucia, Cayman Islands, Guyana, Malawi, Seychelles, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Falkland Islands, Jersey, Western Cape and Gauteng.
The webinar was closed by the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Stephen Twigg who spoke about how Parliaments in the long-term can establish policies, strategies and powers to give them the necessary resources to function independently and effectively. It is important that Parliaments learn from the current pandemic and implement the necessary changes that are required. As democratic institutions, Commonwealth Parliaments must ensure public confidence in their ability to manage their affairs and to conduct their essential legislative, oversight and representative functions, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The CPA Headquarters Secretariat is providing assistance to Commonwealth Parliaments through its programme of seminars and its toolkits like the Model Law for Independent Parliaments and the CPA’s Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures to provide Legislatures with a robust framework of parliamentary procedures.
A recording of the ‘CPA webinar for Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth: COVID-19 and Independent Parliaments’ will be available for the benefit of all Commonwealth Parliaments on the CPA’s YouTube channel at: www.cpahq.org/cpahq/youtube.
To download a copy of the CPA’s toolkit on Model Law for Independent Parliaments please visit www.cpahq.org/cpahq/modellaw.
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