Nevis News

Nevis news – local Nevis news, and regional Caribbean news.

Cruise Passengers Spend More On St. Kitts – Nevis

Basseterre, St. Kitts Nevis
December 11, 2007 (CUOPM)

Despite a near six percent decline in cruise ship passengers, expenditure by cruise ship passengers in 2006 increased from EC$19.5 million to EC$19.9 million.

Delivering the 2008 Budget Address in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Prime Minister Douglas, who is also Minister of Finance, said expenditure by stay-over visitors reached EC$10.9 million in 2006.

Dr. Douglas, who is also the Minister of Finance, said economic growth in St. Kitts and Nevis over the last decade has been increasingly based on the continual improvement of the tourism product.

He said that the tourism sector’s significant and growing contribution to GDP through visitor expenditure, foreign exchange earnings, and employment generation is critical to the continued progress of the twin-island Federation.

Dr. Douglas said that in 2006, the Tourism Sector continued to record significant growth and to make a substantial contribution to economic activity.

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Venezuela To Build Petroleum Storage On St. Kitts

Basseterre, St. Kitts -Nevis
December 10, 2007 (CUOPM)

St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas says Venezuela’s state-owned energy company,  Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) is to construct a storage tank farm close to the C.A. Paul Southwell Industrial Park.

The project will begin in the first quarter of 2008 and will have a capacity of 34,200 barrels.

Prime Minister Douglas said the storage tank farm will consist of Two (2) 12,000 bbl HFO tanks (Heavy Fuel Oil); One (1) 5,000 bbl Jet Aviation Fuel Tank; Two (2) 5,000 bbl Gasoline Tanks; One (1) 2,140 bbl LPG Tank and One (1) 5,000 bbl Water Tank.

Dr. Douglas said a 12,000 bbl Diesel Tank will also be constructed at the Needsmust Power Station.

He disclosed that bids have already been received for this project and by the end of this month the contract will be awarded to commence work in the area to construct the storage facilities.

Prime Minister Douglas also disclosed that a local St.Kitts company, PDV (St. Kitts-Nevis Ltd) has already been incorporated and the Joint Venture Company is now in the process of establishing offices in Basseterre.

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Over 20,000 Cruise Passengers Due In St. Kitts This Week

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 10, 2007 (CUOPM)

The parade of cruise ships into the Basseterre Roadstead continues this week with the expected arrival of an estimated 20,000 passengers.

Nine ships with an estimated passenger capacity of 20,947 are scheduled to visit the islands.

On Sunday, the 137,000 tonne Explorer of the Seas, which docked at Port Zante, arrived from Barbados with 3,154 passengers and a crew of 1,117. It sailed last evening for Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.

The Ocean Village Two, which docked at the Deep Water Cargo Port at Bird Rock, arrived from Philipsburg, St. Maarten with 1,756 passengers and a crew of 627 before departing for St. John’s, Antigua on Sunday evening.

Today, Monday, the 113,000 tonne Crown Princess arrived from St. Thomas with 2,296 passengers and a crew of 1,223. It sailed for Grenada at 3. 00 P.M.

Two ships are expected on Tuesday. The Windsurf has a capacity of 308 passengers and the Constellation, a capacity of 2,450.

Thursday sees the docking at Port Zante of the Carnival Miracle with an estimated passenger capacity of 2,680 passengers.

On Friday, the 2,600-passenger Queen Mary 2 and the 1,800-passenger “Legend of the Seas visit.

The week ends on Saturday with the visit of the 2,020 passenger Empress of the seas.

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Nevis Government Pleased With Sea Cotton Production

Nevis Government Pleased With Sea Cotton Production
 
Charlestown, Nevis
November 10, 2007

Almost three months after the thousands of Sea Island Cotton seedlings were planted on 37 acres of government owned land, Minister of Agriculture in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Robelto Hector expressed satisfaction with the progress of the first crop.
 
The Minister made the comment when he embarked on a number of field trips recently, as he took a hands on approach to assess projects and to meet with staff and partners involved in the various portfolios under his responsibility.
 
“Cotton reopens our country’s potential to export thus creating foreign exchange. As a developing country it is critical that we offer a product on the world market that would improve our fiscal position.
 
“I am happy with the progress with the crop. It shows a vigor that demonstrates that proper management practices are being followed and I wish to congratulate the department of Agriculture in its efforts,” he said.
 
Meantime, Director of Agriculture Dr. Kelvin Daly who was part of the team that accompanied the Minister explained on Monday November 10, 2007, that the first harvest was expected to be in January 2008 and described the progress as remarkable.

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Caribbean Governments To Fight Rising Food Costs

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 10, 2007 (CUOPM)

Several measures have been proposed by CARICOM leaders for implementation to address mounting food prices which are being fuelled by a number of factors including rising oil prices; adverse weather conditions and natural disasters, and the shift in agricultural production from food to bio fuels.

Measures that were outlined to mitigate the effects of price increases at the 12th Special Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government in Guyana on Friday include a pledge to proceed urgently with the transformation of agriculture, particularly the Jagdeo Initiative.

The CARICOM Secretariat will immediately establish a Technical Team which will review a basket of food and non-food items, common to the baskets in all Member States and which attract a Common External Tariff (CET).

The Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) will then make a decision on the reduction or removal of the CET from this regional basket as early as January 2008.

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