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.