Nevis Receives Tech Assistance On Geothermal Legislation

Mark Lambrides

Mr. Mark Lambrides
Charlestown
May 19, 2008

Three Washington based renewable energy experts participated in a recent press briefing with officials of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) to update the Press on matters pertaining to geothermal legislation.  Policy and legal expert, in renewable energy resources, laws and commercial transactions at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Mr. John Armstrong said that he found it remarkable that the island of Nevis was able to develop its own resource.
 
The UNIDO expert stressed the importance of having the appropriate legislation and confirmed that the Ministry and the island’s electricity provider Nevis Electricity Company Ltd. (NEVLEC) had worked tirelessly to finalise the legal framework, which would govern geothermal energy on Nevis.  Mr. Armstrong revealed that through the joint efforts of the NIA and NEVLEC and with some assistance from the Organization of American States (OAS) a solid legal framework was in place, and was an indication that protection would be made not only for the electricity prices for tomorrow but the electricity prices and the availability of the resources for generations to come.

He further elaborated on the need for specific geothermal legislation, to be appropriate for most legal systems. Geothermal energy, he explained, was unique and was normally addressed separately from other renewable sources of energy. He also clarified that it was not quite as necessary to legislate the other renewables because they fell under pre-existing laws.  Mr. Armstrong lauded the NIA for its professionalism and unrelenting commitment to develop and finalise Nevis’ geothermal energy and its legislation.

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Nevis Government To Review Geothermal Legislation

Nevis Junior Minister - Mr. Carlisle Powell

Nevis Junior Minister – Mr. Carlisle Powell

Charlestown, Nevis
May 19, 2008

Junior Minister with responsibility for Communications, Works, Public Utilities, Physical Planning, Posts, Natural Resources and Environment in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Carlisle Powell, announced to the media that the draft for geothermal energy legislation was at a stage where the NIA was ready to receive comments from stakeholders and the public.
 
He said the draft will be taken to Parliament and later would become the Bill that would protect geothermal and other renewable resources of energy for the people of Nevis. Mr. Powell made the pronouncement during a recent press briefing recently held at the Nevis TV Channel 8, to inform the media about current developments that pertained to geothermal legislation.
 
Mr. Powell said evidence suggested that geothermal energy would have a significant impact on the economy of Nevis, which would generate millions of dollars per annum for the island’s Treasury. He further expressed that the advent of geothermal energy would provide funds for the NIA to develop Nevis at a rapid pace unlike before.
 
“Now why have we taken such care and why have we decided to move this forward even though we’ve taken care at pace? We have done so because in all of our discussions with the other persons and countries in the world who know of and produce geothermal power and indeed those persons and companies that produces wind power, that there is an abundance of evidence to suggest that in geothermal, in particular, we have a resource that will be able to, over time, have a significant impact on the economy in Nevis, which will in turn allow us to develop the country at a pace that we have never been able to do before so for that, we are extremely grateful, ” he said.

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Nevis Island Needs School Teachers

Mr. Chesley Manners

Mr. Chesley Manners

Charlestown, Nevis
May 19, 2008

A call has been issued for persons to join the teaching fraternity on Nevis. Word came from an official of the Ministry of Human Resources in the Nevis Island Administration on May 16, 2008 who indicated that applications to fill the vacancies n time for the new school year should be in by July to facilitate planning.
 
Mr. Chesley Manners, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Human Resources, told the Department of Information during an interview, that there were a number of available vacancies that needed to be filled at the secondary and Sixth Form levels.
 
“The Nevis island Administration through is Department of Human Resources is making and appeal for persons who are suitably qualified and interested to serve as teachers for the academic year which begins in September of this year.
 
“The teaching profession is still a noble profession and it offers wonderful opportunities for self development. In addition, it offers stability in terms of employment and there are not many other professions which offer an individual that unique opportunity, to so significantly impact the lives of so many of our youths,” he said.
 
Mr. Manners said that although the matter of teacher shortage was a problem experienced in and out of the region, Nevis would not give up in its effort to find quality teachers. He made a special appeal to males to join the profession .

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More Princess Cruise Line Ships For St. Kitts – Nevis

Crown Princess In Saint Kitts - Nevis

Crown Princess In Saint Kitts – Nevis
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
May 19, 2008 (CUOPM)

Taxi drivers, tour operators and other stakeholders in the cruise ship industry in St. Kitts and Nevis can look forward to better days ahead as the governing St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Administration of Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas continues to attract more cruise ships to Port Zante.

Itineraries released by Princess Cruises show that three of its ships cruising the Caribbean will visit St. Kitts for the 2009-2010 season.

The 3,110-passenger Caribbean Princess will sail from alternating seven-day itineraries out of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

It will offer one eight-day Bermuda & Eastern Caribbean sailing from New York to San Juan calling at Bermuda, St. Kitts, Antigua and St. Thomas, departing Oct. 24, 2009.

The Classic Southern Caribbean route will include stops in St. Thomas, Tortola, Antigua, Barbados and St. Lucia, while the Southern Caribbean Explorer route stops in St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba.

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PM Says, “Upscale Tourism A Must For St. Kitts – Nevis”

Turtle Bay Beach, St. Kitts - Nevis

Turtle Bay Beach, St. Kitts – Nevis
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
May 19, 2008 (CUOPM)

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas says high-end tourism services must be a major component of the new economy following the closure of the sugar industry three years ago.

He also told hundreds of members and supporters attending the 76th Annual Conference of his St. Kitts – Nevis Labour Party at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort and Royal Beach Casino that Kittitians and Nevisians must always have access to the beaches, natural assets and heritage sites.

Dr. Douglas said that the diversification of the economy from sugar agriculture with tourism, financial, information and communication technology and offshore education services is already delivering substantial social and economic benefits to the people of the federation.

“The strategic focus is on the high-end sector of the tourism industry because it does not seem likely that mass tourism can deliver to our people the quality of life that is consistent with our own long-term goals and aspirations as a people. We believe that high-end tourism gives us the opportunity to obtain the best value for the services we offer the world, and creates the value added necessary to support progressive increases in the wages and salaries of our people without undermining the competitiveness of our Federation. High-end tourism services also allow us to earn substantial foreign exchange without having to accommodate large volumes of tourists and to place undue burdens on our social and economic infrastructure and on our fragile eco-system,” said the St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister.

He noted that while many persons associate high-end tourism with exclusivity, the policy of the Government on this issue is very clear and unequivocal and is properly reflected in all development agreements that have been signed to date.

“Our beaches and our natural assets and built heritage sites are the property of our people and every Kittitian and Nevisian must always have adequate access to these assets at all times,” said Prime Minister Douglas.

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