Nevis News Archives - Page 1234 of 1451 - Nevis Island News and Notes

Cultural Outreach Program Begins in St. Kitts – Nevis

Caribbean Art & Culture
Image from Jamaicaart.com

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
June 04, 2008 (SKNIS)

Residents of St. Paul’s were the first to benefit from a community outreach programme initiated by the Department of Culture.

“In evaluating our programme of activities, we found out that we were not reaching a [desired] cross section of the community,” Director of Culture Creighton Pencheon explained on this week’s edition of the radio magazine Perspectives. “There was a need for us to extend some of our programmes beyond the normal working hours and [branch out more] in the field in order to reach more people. We are hoping that in so doing we will serve to inspire young people to harness the skills of the performing arts.”

He added that this was a good way to decentralize activities from the capital, Basseterre, and give rural children an opportunity to see and learn from the veteran performers.

During the interview with SKNIS, Mr. Pencheon explained that dancers and drummers from the Okolo Tegremantine Arts Theater accompanied himself and staff members including Dance Specialist Lorna “˜Ava’ Henry, Drumming Specialist Royd Phipps and Music Specialist Nigel Williams to the session at the St. Paul’s Primary School. He said the young students showed a keen interest in learning the art form.

“It was quite a success. We had a nice interactive session,” he stated. “The dancers took the students through various dance routines and they had a wonderful time.”

Track and Field Event in St. Kitts – Nevis

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
June 04, 2008 (SKNIS)

St. Kitts and Nevis’ top sprinters including Kim Collins, Virgil Hodge and Tiandra Ponteen will be among athletes contesting the June 21 and 22, track and field National Championships at the new Silver Jubilee Athletic Stadium at Bird Rock.

The two-day competition will be used as a qualifying event to select representatives for a number of upcoming track events including the July 08-13 World Junior Championships in Poland and the XXIX Olympic Games slated for August 08-24 in Beijing, China.

Odel “˜Scotty’ Hanley of the St. Kitts and Nevis Amateur Athletic Association (SKNAAA) appeared on SKNIS’ radio magazine, Perspectives, and said that this event is meaningful as it marks the first time overseas based athletes such as Collins and Hodge will compete at the Silver Jubilee Athletic Stadium since it’s opening in March.

“It’s always exciting to race in front of the home crowd,” he said, noting that it has been years since the top sprinters competed in St. Kitts. “Most of the [overseas based runners] saw the pictures and heard the reports from the CARIFTA Games and said wow I should have been home.”

High Fuel Prices In Saint Kitts – Nevis

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
June 05, 2008 (CUOPM)

St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has been suggesting ways in which the Caribbean can combat rising fuel and food prices.

Addressing the 38th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) the St. Kitts and Nevis leader said the need exists for farming to be seen as a business, an examination of spending patterns, improved technologies and training.

In his address, Prime Minister Douglas noted the reality of the situation in the Caribbean at this time which is faced with “astronomical oil prices which continue to climb; rising food prices and in some cases shortages in essential items; increasing debt burdens coupled with declining access to concessionary funding; environmental concerns in particular the impact of climate change; as well as rising crime and its impact on our economies. These are coupled with the widely acknowledged problems of small size and our inherent vulnerability to natural disasters with which we continue to grapple.”

Dr. Douglas suggested the development of a strategy for dealing with issues associated with rising oil and food prices and an integrated response to rising fuel and food prices that looks at the impact on the overall fiscal and economic policy framework.

“We must examine social safety nets and their appropriateness in light of the Banks ultimate commitment to the reduction of poverty. In addition to looking at alternative sources of energy for the medium to long term, we must devise contingency arrangements for dealing with larger and longer than expected interruptions in the supply of oil and food,” said Dr. Douglas, who called for studies to be carried out on the region’s food supply to determine how adequate, dependable and affordable it is and look at ways to improve the identified short comings.

St. Kitts – Nevis Prime Minister Douglas
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
June 05, 2008 (CUOPM)

St. Kitts and Nevis remains committed to maintaining strong economic performance in 2008 and beyond despite the challenges of high fuel prices and soaring cost of food.

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas told the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Development Bank at its meeting in Canada that in 2007 economic growth was attributed mainly to agriculture, construction, distributive trades, banking, wholesale and retail and government services.

“Real GDP in the economy was estimated at 3 percent for 2007. In addition the fiscal position of the Central Government improved significantly in that year. The unaudited position reflects a Current Account surplus of EC$2.7 million. The Overall Balance also showed considerable improvement recording a deficit of EC$11.2 million at the end of 2007. The Primary Balance also recorded positive improvement, ending at 6.2% of GDP,” said Dr. Douglas.

He said that the debt to GDP Ratio of the Central Government stood at 89.6 percent of GDP, while Total Public Sector debt stood at 169.1 percent of GDP.

“This commendable performance can be attributed to increased efficiency in revenue collections in particular Taxes on Corporation Income and Taxes on International Trade as well as expenditure controls some of which are outlined in our Adaptation Strategy in Response to the New EU Sugar Regime,” said Prime Minister Douglas.

He expressed thanks to the Government of Canada for its valuable assistance in financing the debt management review which is currently being undertaken in St. Kitts and Nevis. “The result of this exercise I am certain will provide us with several options for managing our debt situation more effectively,” said Dr. Douglas.

Richard Skerrit – Tourism Minister for St. Kitts – Nevis
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
June 05, 2008 (CUOPM)

The numerous and unsightly political billboards mounted by agents of the People’s Action Movement (PAM) all over the St. Kitts landscape does not have the permission from the appropriate department.

Minister of State for Tourism, Sen. the Hon. Richard Skerritt reminded Parliament Wednesday of the well established motive and policy of the opposition People’s Action Movement to attempt to destroy the economy of the country as long as they do not hold the reins of government.

“And it is clear to me that these PAM political billboards are part of PAM’s desperate attack on the exceptionally high level of investor confidence and positive buzz that has been generated in the North American and UK marketplaces about the future of our Tourism sector,” said Minister Skerritt.

He told Parliamentarians that the numerous and unsightly political billboards have been constructed on public roadside spaces and nailed on to lamp-posts, belonging to the Electricity Department, without seeking the appropriate permission from the Department of Physical Planning, in the Ministry of Sustainable Development.

“Mr Speaker, because the appropriate Government agency does not fall under the responsibility of the Ministry that I have the honour to lead, I can only hope that the relevant authority in the Ministry of Sustainable Development will take the necessary remedial action in the interest of the protection of our rights as citizens to enjoy our natural environment, visually and otherwise, and in the midst of this blatant disregard for public rules and good order by the leaders of the People’s Action Movement,” Minister Skerritt.

Cultural Outreach Program Begins in St. Kitts – Nevis

St. Kitts – Nevis Welcomes The Best In Track & Field

Nevis Looks For Ways To Beat High Fuel Prices

St. Kitts – Nevis Predict Strong Economic Growth In 2008

PAM Does Not Have Permission To Mount Billboards