St. Kitts – Nevis To Host Petro Caribe Summit

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
January 18, 2008

St. Kitts and Nevis has been invited to host the Fifth Petro Caribe Summit in June this year.

This is according to Minister of Public Utilities, Transport and Posts Honourable Earl Asim Martin, who was addressing the media during his first press conference for 2008.

He elaborated that there have already been two Petro Caribe Summits in Venezuela, one in Jamaica and one in Cuba.  The Minister further noted that in his experience the summits are elaborate affairs with heads of government attend with large delegations.  He speculated that His Excellency Hugo Chavez should be among the Presidents in attendance.  It was revealed that the first committee meeting to plan the event will be held January 23, 2008.

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St. Kitts – Nevis Tourism Development Plan Outlined

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
January 17, 2008 (CUOPM)

St. Kitts and Nevis‘ Minister of State for Tourism, Hon. Richard Skerritt says that American Airlines’ non-stop, twice-weekly round trip service on Wednesdays and Sundays to St. Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport has already proven to be a “bonanza” for the destination.

“The load factors have been fantastic. We are very pleased and so is American,” Skerritt said during a press briefing at the Caribbean Hotel Association’s Caribbean Market place 2008 in Nassau, Bahamas.

The destination will welcome Delta’s new weekly Saturday service beginning Feb. 16 from Atlanta, which will complement exiting nonstop service from Miami on American and from Charlotte, N.C., on US Airways as well as connecting service via San Juan on American Eagle.

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St. Kitts – Nevis PM Asks Locals To Embrace Tourism

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
January 17, 2008 (CUOPM)

With an annual increase in visitor arrivals to St. Kitts and Nevis and more resorts either under construction or being planned, another passionate call has been made for nationals to get involved in the provision of services in the industry.

That call has come from St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, when he appeared as a guest on VON Radio’s “Let’s Talk” Programme recently.

Dr. Douglas said 2007 was a “very blessed year, because the economy has been transitioning out of sugar agriculture and it is moving very confidently into tourism. Over the past year, we had more visitors coming to our shores than ever before.”

He noted that it is projected that some 400,000 cruise ship passengers will disembark at Port Zante, “bringing untold opportunities to our taxi drivers, the local entrepreneurs who provide goods and services to our hotels and restaurants, and, of course, they bring revenue to the government treasury as well as money into their households so that their families can live better lives.”

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Okolo Tegremantine Celebrates 35 Years

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
January 17, 2008

The Okolo Tegremantine Arts Theater is celebrating 35 years of existence and is marking this milestone by reaching out to various communities to promote the art form.

An official for the group told SKNIS that Master Drummer Dominique Williams from Trinidad and Tobago is in St. Kitts to assist with this initiative. Williams spent this week visiting primary schools, talking to students about his exciting field and the importance of maintaining a rich cultural heritage.

He has also been working with the National Youth Drum Corps as well as the Okolo group, refining their performances.

Mr. Williams indicated that the sessions have been interesting and he is particularly pleased with the enthusiastic response from the young students during school visits. Williams has been drumming for the past 14 years and leads the group Hands of Rhythm in his home country.

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