St. Kitts – Nevis

St. Kitts and Nevis To Get Assistance From The FAO

St. Kitts - Nevis PM at FAO Food Summit 2008

St. Kitts – Nevis PM at FAO Food Summit

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
July 09, 2008 (CUOPM)

A call by St. Kitts and Nevis‘ Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas at last month’s World Food Security Summit in Rome for the FAO to assist Member Countries with seeds, fertilizer and other inputs to assist the farmers to carry out a rapid production of agricultural products has not fallen on deaf years.

Wednesday the FAO announced the approval of a series of projects in 48 countries for a total value of US$21 million to help small farmers and vulnerable households mitigate the negative effects of rising food and input prices. The projects will provide farmers with agricultural inputs as of this month for an expected duration of one year.

“We need help and we need it immediately,” Prime Minister Douglas told the several Heads of State and Government as well as numerous Ministers of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, water, energy and environment at the Summit.

Dr. Douglas had said there was an urgent need to develop measures to ensure that the adverse effects of the higher food prices on the poor are minimized and that sustainable measures are developed and implemented to reduce poverty.

FAO said the assistance to the 48 countries will be funded by the Technical Cooperation Programme ““ i.e. FAO’s own resources ““ they are part of FAO’s Initiative on soaring food prices (ISFP).

With six countries already benefiting for a total amount of nearly US$2.8 million, FAO’s own funding under the Initiative on soaring food prices now covers 54 countries.

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St. Kitts – Nevis Track Star Wins Again

Kim Collins

Kim Collins wins yet another major meet.

Paris, France
June 28th 2008

The St Kitts and Nevis sprint superstar Kim Collins delivered his fastest 100-metre run since 2005 when he captured the event at the Moscow Open in 10.10 seconds some two weeks ago in Moscow, Russia.

Collins has now followed up that spectacular and impressive victory with yet another stellar performance this time in France at the Metropole Gaz de France Athletic Meet.

Kim impressed during the men’s 100m race with a storming start and acceleration, to win with a 0.13sec margin over his closest competitor. Collins set his 3rd 10.10 time in a row, after meets in Moscow and Zukhovsky over the last two weekends.

“I’m disappointed by the time because I wish I had run under 10sec, but the weather made it difficult (wind was -0.3). I am probably in the best shape of my career, and I was happy to run in France,” said the winner of Paris 2003 World Championships, whose next race will be in Madrid.

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Peanut Farming Gets An Economic Boost From Taiwan

Peanut Farm

A Commercial Peanut Farm

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
June 4, 2008 (SKNIS)

The Department of Agriculture has placed peanut production back on the front burner, with timely research assistance from the Taiwan Technical Mission.

The Republic of China Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis His Excellency Rong-chuan Wu said that the Technical Mission was conducting research on eight high-yield varieties of peanuts. At the time, the Ambassador was commenting at the start of a field tour of the Taiwanese Technical Mission demonstration farm at Needsmust. Farmers and media personnel were provided a full tour of the facility to see first-hand the range of research projects being undertaken.

Ambassador Wu expressed confidence that a high yield variety would be very profitable for farmers. Indicating that in a diversified economy, agriculture is still important in terms of food sustainability and food substitution, He said the Technical Mission agriculture research facility was committed to the assistance in the nation’s diversification of its agriculture in the pursuit of food sustainability in St. Kitts and Nevis, as the country addresses trade imbalances.

Ambassador Wu commented that it was possible to achieve higher production levels. “We have fertile land. We have people. We can grow everything here”¦Our intention is to collaborate with the St. Kitts and Nevis Government and people to improve agricultural production to enable the option of import substitution. Our idea is to help utilize the total area of agricultural lands in a way that attracts ambitious young farmers to do business on a full-time basis, as the sector works towards self-sufficiency and export opportunities.”

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St. Kitts & Nevis Join OAS In Fighting Regional Crime

Orginization of American States Logo

Orginization of American States 2008 Meeting

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
June 03, 2008 (CUOPM)

The peoples of the Americas have a right to expect a deeper engagement and a heightened leadership role from the Organisation of American States (OAS) with regard to crime and violence, their number one social challenge.

This is the view of St. Kitts and Nevis Minister of Foreign Affiars, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris.

Addressing the 38th Regular Meeting of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Medellin, Colombia, which has as its theme, “Youth and Democratic values,” Minister Harris challenged the Western Hemispheric body to intensify its efforts to work with and support member states in their elaboration of sound policies and focused programming an issue “of such burning hemispheric concern.”

Minister Harris made reference to the efforts being made by the Governments of St. Kitts and Nevis and other Caribbean countries including a special Summit on crime and violence which was held in Trinidad in early April.

He referred to the work of the Caribbean Civil Society Organizations and to the Meeting of Health Ministers of the Hemisphere in Mexico in March 2008, where the Declaration on Violence and Injury Prevention was adopted.

But, Minister Harris said: “The peoples of the Americas have a right to expect that the OAS, working in unison with Inter-American partners, with other regional and international agencies, and with member and observer states, would intensify its efforts to work with and support member states in their elaboration of sound policies and focused programming on an issue of such burning hemispheric concern.”

He said that he was aware that Secretary General Insulza, has convoked a meeting of Hemispheric Ministers with Responsibility for Public Security to be held in Mexico this coming October, and that violence prevention will be foremost on the  agenda.

Dr. Harris noted that it will be the first such Hemispheric meeting of highest level authorities on Public Security and congratulated The Secretary General on this initiative.

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