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

As St. Kitts and Nevis prepares for the 2008 Budget Presentation in the National Assembly next week Tuesday 11th December, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas said Tuesday the twin-island Federation has to be in the forefront in strengthening the budget process through the introduction of performance budgeting and multi-year programming and disclosed that the Budget will be presented in three composite documents.

“The project goal is to further enhance government transparency in budget allocation and further strengthen government accountability and the consultative process which my own Administration is seeking to perfect on a daily basis, Prime Minister Douglas said at his monthly Press Conference.

He told reporters and the nation during the Press Conference that was carried live on radio and television that the objective is to enable the Government to improve the preparation of the budget to achieve social and economic development objectives and to provide better estimates for those of the public service who mange the process.

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Charlestown, Nevis
December 3, 2007

Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), the Hon. Hensley Daniel said the Administration would take responsibility for the continuation of Nevis Eye Care Programme which had benefited the people of Nevis since its conception by Dr. George Bresnick 12 years ago.
 
Mr. Daniel made the comment at the Old Manor Hotel on November 30, 2007, while he addressed workers of the programme who had come together to bid farewell to Dr. Bresnick.  He expressed the NIA’s gratitude to Dr. Bresnick and his team for their contribution to eye care on Nevis and called for Nevisian doctors who specialised in eye care to join the programme.
 
“Now Dr Bresnick is leaving and what we have to do at the Ministry is to ensure that such a programme, as conceptualised by him and his team, continues not only for the benefit for the people of Nevis but also as a lasting tribute to him.  We must make sure that we can marshal the resources abroad that can be of help in a programme like this.  We have to ensure that our own doctors become part and parcel of the programme because it would help if Nevisian doctors who are ophthalmologists and what ever specialties there are in the eye care join the programme.

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