Nevis News Archives - Page 1236 of 1451 - Nevis Island News and Notes

Geothermal Exploration On Nevis Is A Success!

Steam Ejecting From Nevis 1 Geothermal Well

Charlestown, Nevis
June 03, 2008

Monday June 02, 2008, marked a milestone in geothermal explorations on Nevis and in the Organisation of East Caribbean States (OECS), when the first commercially sound reservoir jetted steam from a depth of 3720 feet at the Spring Hill Nevis I site. Minister with Responsibility for Public Utilities, Natural Resources and the Environment Hon. Carlisle Powell, who was on site said he was never doubtful that geothermal energy was available on Nevis.

“There was never any doubt all studies said there was geothermal energy it was just a matter of finding it.

“I am absolutely delighted that thy have been able to prove the first well as commercially viable. Of course there is still a lot of work to be done before we can turn this steam into electricity but I am confident that West Indies Power (WIP) and its subcontractors are doing the right thing,” he said.

Meantime, Chief Executive Officer (WIP) Mr. Kerry Mc Donald, told the Department of Information of the significance of the find. He cited that it was a sustainable reservoir with an approximate temperature of 480 degrees Fahrenheit which had enough energy for a geothermal power plant.

“The significance of this is that at 3500 feet we hit a small fracture and we developed that small fracture the same as this. To develop that fracture we took out the drill bit so we had an open pipe that we were using to develop it. That took 20 hours to develop about 1/20 of this amount of steam. We went down 200 more feet at basically 2:30 we started to develop this [and] at 3:30 the steam came out. The drill bit is still in the pipe so in other words what you are seeing is steam coming around the little cracks between the drill bit and the pipe wall so this pipe is not open. All you are seeing is what’s coming around the sides, so if we opened this pipe it would be flowing about five times more than this.

“We feel all the water we use to drill with, will be out of this in roughly 30 hours and we will have nothing but the pure steam. What this says is we are in the reservoir. This is a sustainable reservoir and this is enough to build our geothermal power plant,” he said.

Food and Agriculture Organization Logo

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
June 03, 2008 (CUOPM)

St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has called for the suspension of the protocol with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to allow Member Countries to produce more local agricultural products.

Addressing the United Nations Food and Agriculture Summit on World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy, in Italy on Tuesday, the St. Kitts and Nevis Leader also called on the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) to assist Member Countries with seeds, fertilizer and other inputs to assist the farmers to carry out a rapid production of agricultural products.

“We need help and we need it immediately,” Prime Minister Douglas told the several Heads of State and Government as well as numerous Ministers of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, water, energy and environment.

Dr. Douglas also said there was an urgent need to develop measures to ensure that the adverse effects of the higher food prices on the poor are minimized and that sustainable measures are developed and implemented to reduce poverty.

He said that policy makers have a critical role in ensuring that bioenergy is developed in a sustainable manner thereby safeguarding food security and ensuring that the benefits reach the poor and those who are food insecure.

“Policy priorities would include safety nets to mitigate impacts of higher food prices on the poor and food insecure and the promotion of bioenergy policies that are environmentally sustainable and would foster market opportunities for small holders and other vulnerable groups,” said the St. Kitts and Nevis leader.

Dr. Douglas said that climate change is expected to impose new challenges to arable land areas, livestock rearing and fisheries and urged agreement on the actions that are necessary to achieve climate-responsive food security policies and programmes.

Nevis Island Premier – Joseph Parry

Charlestown, Nevis
June 03, 2008

Premier and Minister of Education in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), Hon. Joseph Parry, on June 01, 2008, officially launched the celebration of Child Month 2008, under the theme “Celebrating the present with an eye on the future.”

In a televised address at the studios of NTV Channel 8, Mr. Parry spoke of the importance of children and appealed to parents, teachers and the community to treat them well.

“I want for this month that teachers, members of the community pay special attention to children, remind them that we love them, remind them that they are the future of this country,” Premier Parry said.

He used that opportunity to remind the public that teenagers were not to be left out during the month-long celebration.

“We treat our kids very well when they are a year old and five years old but I want us also to remember the 12 year olds and 13 year olds are still children and to continue to pay as much attention to them, perhaps even more attention so that they can grow up and be good young adults,” he said.

Mr. Parry also expressed satisfaction with the NIA’s continued pledge to train, value and educate the children of Nevis.

“My government will continue to work in terms of education and training to help our children and of course our adults too but our main focus is on children,” he said.

According to Mr. Parry, the NIA’s provision of books, adequate supplies for the Early Childhood Centers and its ensuring that teachers were available to teach students were indicators that the Administration recognised the importance of Nevis’ children.

Dirty Money In The Caribbean

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
June 03, 2008 (CUOPM)

Lawmakers in St. Kitts and Nevis meet on Wednesday to approve legislation aimed at ensuring the Federation’s legal, law enforcement, financial and regulatory regimes are in compliance with international standards and increasing financial transparency within certain key institutions within the Federation.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty will introduce The Payment Systems Bill, the Bills of Exchange (Amendment) Bill, the Financial Services Commission (Amendment) Bill and the Financial Intelligence Unit (Amendment) Bill and Minister of National Security, the Hon. Dwyer Astaphan will introduce the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill at Wednesday’s Sitting of the National Assembly.

The Payment System Bill establishes a comprehensive legislative framework governing the establishment, maintenance and functioning of the payment system operated by the St. Kitts-based Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB). It provides for the direct participation by the Central Bank in payment systems not operated by it including non-currency union payments systems and addresses matters relating to the designation of a funds transfer system and a settlement system including the operation of standards within such systems.

Under this law, the ECCB will be empowered to issue directives to financial institutions which appear to or are actually engaged in conduct with respect to the payment system that results in or is likely to result in systematic risk or is contrary to the public interest relative to the integrity, effectiveness, efficiency or security of the payment system.

The Financial Services Commission (Amendment) Bill increases the efficiency of the Financial Services Commission by endowing the commission with powers to impose sanctions on financial institutions that are acting in a manner that violates safe prudential practices as set out in the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Anti-money Laundering Regulations, the Anti-Terrorism Act or similar legislation.

Orginization of American States 2008 Meeting

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
June 03, 2008 (CUOPM)

The peoples of the Americas have a right to expect a deeper engagement and a heightened leadership role from the Organisation of American States (OAS) with regard to crime and violence, their number one social challenge.

This is the view of St. Kitts and Nevis Minister of Foreign Affiars, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris.

Addressing the 38th Regular Meeting of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Medellin, Colombia, which has as its theme, “Youth and Democratic values,” Minister Harris challenged the Western Hemispheric body to intensify its efforts to work with and support member states in their elaboration of sound policies and focused programming an issue “of such burning hemispheric concern.”

Minister Harris made reference to the efforts being made by the Governments of St. Kitts and Nevis and other Caribbean countries including a special Summit on crime and violence which was held in Trinidad in early April.

He referred to the work of the Caribbean Civil Society Organizations and to the Meeting of Health Ministers of the Hemisphere in Mexico in March 2008, where the Declaration on Violence and Injury Prevention was adopted.

But, Minister Harris said: “The peoples of the Americas have a right to expect that the OAS, working in unison with Inter-American partners, with other regional and international agencies, and with member and observer states, would intensify its efforts to work with and support member states in their elaboration of sound policies and focused programming on an issue of such burning hemispheric concern.”

He said that he was aware that Secretary General Insulza, has convoked a meeting of Hemispheric Ministers with Responsibility for Public Security to be held in Mexico this coming October, and that violence prevention will be foremost on the agenda.

Dr. Harris noted that it will be the first such Hemispheric meeting of highest level authorities on Public Security and congratulated The Secretary General on this initiative.

Geothermal Exploration On Nevis Is A Success!

PM Douglas Calls For FAO Agricultural Assistance

Nevis Premier Launches Child Month

St. Kitts – Nevis To Strengthen Money Laundering Laws

St. Kitts & Nevis Join OAS In Fighting Regional Crime