Nevis News

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 06, 2007 (CUOPM)

The Government of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is to receive technical assistance from the governments of Brazil and the United States in its efforts at developing a biofuels energy industry derived from sugar cane.

According to a report from Washington, D.C., this support was confirmed Tuesday as representatives from Brazil, the United States and the partner organisations met with St. Kitts and Nevis Minister for Sustainable Development, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty at the Caribbean-Central American Action Conference in Miami, Florida. They will meet again next February to take stock of their common efforts.

The assistance will be provided under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding to Advance Cooperation on Biofuels, signed by Brazil and the United States in March 2007.

Support was initially pledged to St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Denzil Hon. Dr. Douglas and his ministerial cabinet during a recent meeting in the Caribbean country with a team of energy experts from Brazil and the United States as well as the Organization of American States (OAS).

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Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 05, 2007

The presence of health officials from St. Kitts and Nevis at the 2nd Annual Conference for Healthcare Policy Makers will assist the Federation as it continues to deliver quality health services to residents.

The Federation’s delegation includes Honourable Ministers of Health Rupert Herbert, St. Kitts and Hensley Daniel, Nevis.  They are accompanied by Permanent Secretaries Joslyn Liburd and Elvis Newton as well as Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patrick Martin and Chief of Staff Dr. Cardell Rawlins.

The Miami, Florida Conference which runs from December 4 to 6, targets policy makers of the Caribbean Basin and Central America bringing together more than one hundred stakeholders to discuss health issues.

Of particular importance to the Federation is the subject of national health insurance plans designed to provide universal access to health care and provision of tertiary services at offshore medical facilities.  The delegation is also interested in the discussions which focus on reorientation of health care systems to better position them to respond to today’s challenges.

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Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 05, 2007

The positive energies of the youth population from St. Kitts and Nevis were reenergized after a month-long celebration with activities ranging from various competitions to a national youth dialogue.

A Super Concert and Excellence Award Ceremony climaxed the November-observance organized by the Department of Youth.

“It is encouraging, refreshing and heartwarming to see young people doing so many positive things,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Youth the Hon. Sam Condor said, while citing the various activities that commemorated the event. He told the huge gathering that assembled at the Bay Road on November 30, that he was extremely proud of the partnerships his Ministry had formed with stakeholders to continue the empowerment of young people.

“We have a responsibility to make sure that we build a strong economy, a good country and also a good civilization where people are involved in humanitarian activities to promote and enhance the way of life for all,” Minister Condor noted, adding that government was proud of the efforts of the hardworking staff of the Department of Youth and its corps of volunteers.

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Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 05, 2007)

The recent Commonwealth Youth Forum held in Entebbe, Uganda proved to be an excellent experience for the Federation’s representatives who said they learnt many life lessons.

Ghislyn Williams, 23, and Azard Gumbs, 18, were among representatives from 45 Commonwealth member-territories that debated topics such as globalization, youth and health (with emphasis on HIV/AIDS), sustainable development and climate change, conflict management and social transformation as well as youth participation in decision making.

The duo appeared on SKNIS’ radio programme Perspectives, and said that the discussions were spirited at times as various delegates jockeyed to ensure their suggestions made it into a draft communiqué that was presented to Head of States to consider.

One such incident occurred during the group discussion on HIV/AIDS. Ms. Williams indicated that the group contained more persons from larger countries than small island states who stressed the need to have the Commonwealth pay “special” attention to the African continent in the provision of antiretroviral drugs and other related measures.

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Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 05, 2007 (CUOPM)

Federal civil servants and pensioners in St. Kitts and Nevis are to get an interim five percent salary increase next payday, retroactive to January 1st 2007, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas announced on Tuesday.

Government which gave a 10 percent salary increase in January 2004, undertook to ensure that the terms and conditions of service of its employees would be reviewed periodically with a view to adjusting such terms and conditions at least once every three years, based on the results of a comprehensive professional review.

“Hence a review should have taken place in 2006 to permit an adjustment of the terms and conditions of service of Government employees on January 1st 2007. We did not do it, but that review is currently ongoing. We have engaged the services of CARICAD in Barbados to examine the compensation of Government employees and to advise Government as to an appropriate pay increase,” Prime Minister Douglas said at his monthly Press Conference.

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