Nevis News

Charlestown, Nevis
December 14, 2007

Financial Secretary in the Nevis Island Administration Mr. Laurie Lawrence disclosed on Thursday December 13, 2007, that the Nevis economy had done well over the past year.
 
During an interview with the Department of Information ahead of the 2008 Budget Address presentation by Premier of Nevis and Minister of Finance at the House of Assembly Chambers in Charlestown on Monday December 17, 2007, Mr. Laurence said there was a net positive performance despite changes in policy. They included employment of persons in the social services as well as the issuing of duty free concessions to small business people.
 
“The economy has been doing quite well. The financial situation is still quite sound. For instance, if you compare up to November of this year with the sane period of last year, you would find that we have increased our current revenue by about eight percent and last year during that same period, while we had a deficit of about 2.9 million on the current account, this year we actually have a surplus on the current account of 5.4 million.

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Charlestown, Nevis
December 13, 2007

Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis His Excellency Dr. Ernst Martens, accompanied by his wife Mrs. Martens and Mr. Walter H. Mertins, paid a courtesy call on Premier of Nevis Hon. Joseph Parry at his Bath Plain Office on Wednesday December 12, 2007, during his first visit to Nevis.
 
Premier Parry welcomed the Ambassador and expressed gratitude on behalf of the people of Nevis to the German government, for its invaluable assistance to Nevis through the Basic Education Trust Fund. The Fund is administered on Nevis by the Premier’s wife Mrs. Myrthlyn Parry.
 
He said Germany together with the Europeans had established a long and successful relationship with Nevis and the Federation and looked to continued good relations and financial aid in the future.
 
Premier Parry described the visit as an auspicious occasion which in his view was symbolic.
 
“This is the Bath Hotel, the first hotel in the Caribbean where we are. This hotel was built in 1778, close to some warm springs and that is why it was a hotel in the first place. People from England used to come here to the waters in the late 18th century and 19th century. So I think it is a very auspicious that we are in this historical place and I hope this is a historic occasion for us and this will be the beginning of a very good relationship,” he said.

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Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 13, 2007 (CUOPM)

One of the major manufacturing companies at the C.A. Paul Southwell Industrial Estate is to move one of its production lines from Brazil in South America to St. Kitts next year.

This has been disclosed by St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas during Tuesday’s Budget Address.

Prime Minister Douglas in reviewing the outcome of the manufacturing sector in the twin-island Federation said that a number of existing enterprises also expanded their operations in response to continued economic expansion in the United States of America, which is a major market for the output of this sector.

He said Kajola Kristada Ltd, home to the cable traps, filters and connectors since May 1999, introduced two new product lines and employed an additional 25 workers in 2007.

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Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 13, 2007 (CUOPM)

The St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCAPA) said Wednesday that from the start of the 2007 ““ 2008 Cruise Ship Season, essential tug services have been provided to vessels and will continue to be for the duration of the Season.

“Earlier this year, SCASPA began negotiations with SOMARA, a Tug Boat Company in Martinique, to undertake repairs to Tug ITCO as part of a concessionary arrangement.  This arrangement was not fully followed through, however, an agreement was reached that SOMARA would provide tug services on a stand-by basis.  This plan came into effect at the start of the Cruise Ship Season on October 22,” SCASPA said in a news release.

It noted that since the cost of this service was higher than SCASPA’s subsidized rates, the Authority was forced to propose new charges, but this proposal was rejected by stakeholders in the cruise tourism industry, some of whom indicated that no tug was preferable to paying increased charges.

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