Nevis

St. Kitts – Nevis Government To Review Minimum Wage

minimum wage for politicians

Federation To Review Minimum Wage

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
June 11, 2008 (SKNIS)

The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is pleased with the high level of participation during the first stage of the minimum wage review process and is now awaiting submissions from partner agencies.

The first consultation was held on June 5, at the conference room of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and was attended by approximately 30 representatives from the public and private sector.

“In my opinion the meeting was very fruitful [as] it took the form of an interactive dialogue,” Astona Browne, Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Labour said during an interview for the SKNIS radio magazine programme, Perspectives. “Members present gave their views on the proposal of the minimum wage and there was consensus on the matter.”

Government initiated the pay scale review in an attempt to ensure that workers at the lower end of the income bracket can cope with the spiraling global cost of food and oil which threatens to drive millions into poverty in countries around the world.

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African Drumming Drums Up Nevis Youth Interest

IAfrikana Drummers in Nevis

Drummers in Nevis

Charlestown, Nevis
June 09, 2008

Culture Advisor to the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Mr. Halsted “Sooty” Byron has cited that the introduction of African Drumming in schools was responsible for the heightened interest in drumming and the craze for iron bands among Nevis’ youth.

Mr. Byron told the Department of Information in an interview on June 09, 2008, that when drumming was introduced in primary schools as an initiative of the Department of Culture while he served as Director some years ago, the numbers were slight but there had been a spiked interest in recent times.

“Drumming in schools has caught on. When we started first the numbers were very small but up to when I finished dealing with that aspect of the art form in the schools, I think it was going very great.

“We [Department of Culture now the Nevis Cultural Foundation] have now recruited a young man who is also a member of IAfrikana Drummers Keoma George and the young boys and girls in the schools have really taken to it to the extent where we see these iron bands forming all over Nevis. This is a direct spin off from the drums,” he said.

Mr. Byron explained that it was regrettable that parents and adults did not think that an African drum could not make a perfect gift for a young adult or child.

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St. Kitts – Nevis To Review Minimum Wage

Eastern Caribbean Five Dollar Note

Minimum Wage Review For The Federation
Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
SKNIS – June 6, 2008

We must avoid narrow interests and pursue long-term solutions to prevailing global economic conditions that are affecting the economy of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The advice was given by the Hon. Dwyer Astaphan, minister responsible for Labour, who was addressing Private and Public Sector stakeholders and officials during the Minimum Wage Consultation.  Minister Astaphan was framing the context of the minimum wage review in light of rising fuel and food prices around the world.

The Minimum Wage Advisory Consultation is held in fulfilling the requirements under the Labour (Minimum Wage) Act, Chapter 344, which calls for the periodic review of minimum wages in the Federation. Minister Astaphan pointed out that the cost of oil has risen over 500 percent in the last 10 years giving rise to the challenging economic situations in countries the world over.

“The reasons are manifold,” commented Minister Astaphan. “We know what is happening in the economies of China and India, the two largest population centers on the planet. Those economies are going through the roof. The demand for goods and other things that sustain and expand economies has gone up exponentially, and we know that the world economy still, for some time to come ““ which is the most worrying thing about it, is premised on oil and carbon- based energy sources.”

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Anguilla Tours St. Kitts – Nevis Health Facilities

Anguilla Healthcare Delegation

Visiting Anguilla Healthcare Delegation

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
June 06, 2008 (SKNIS)

A delegation from Anguilla is in St. Kitts to tour the health facilities and explore ways to deepen cooperation.

The three-man touring group is headed by Minister of Social Development Honourable Evans McNeil Rogers, who spent Friday morning in meetings with the Minister of Health Honourable Rupert Herbert, his Permanent Secretary Elvis Newton and a host of other medical officials and administrators.

Minister Rogers told SKNIS that St. Kitts and Nevis and Anguilla share deep bonds and this partnership is good business.

“We are very small countries and there is no need to duplicate services that are available in one country,” he said. “We need to share some services so that we will be able to use the limited resources that we have in a very constructive and positive way in order to provide the health services that are required and that are demanded by our people in the region.”

The visiting official noted that very often, persons think of collaborations in the fields of tourism or finance, but he explained that it was time that other areas of cooperation be explored in order to ensure the sustainability of the region.

Minister Rogers noted that nurses from Anguilla are currently training in St. Kitts and there are plans to have that number expanded. He also revealed that biomedical engineers from St. Kitts have played a vital role in the operation of his country’s own service in that field.

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Carib Brewery Reports Nearly $6 Million Profit

Carib Beer - The Beer Of The Caribbean!

Carib Beer – The Beer Of The Caribbean!

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
June 05, 2008 (CUOPM)

Carib Brewery (St. Kitts & Nevis) Limited is reporting an EC$5.8 million profit before tax for 2007, up EC$1.6 million compared to the previous year.

According to the Annual Report released at the company’s 48th Annual General Meeting, sales in 2007 increased by 10 percent to EC$30.3 million.

“Our increase in revenue was in part, the result of an increase in prices, the first the brewery has implemented in over 10 years. Price increases were required to help mitigate the effect of global increase in the price of raw materials, utilities and fuel for our plant,” said Chairman Andrew Sabga.

He said Carib Brewery (St. Kitts & Nevis) Limited made substantial investments to improve production efficiencies through the installation of a new pasteurizer and boiler resulting in considerable savings in utility costs and a 20 percent increase in bottling capacity.

In 2008 the local company will continue to invest in a new plant by installing a new refrigeration unit and malt handling system in order to further enhance its capacity and quality as it seeks new exports markets. Markets include Tortola, St. Maarten, Barbados and islands in the OECS.

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