St. Kitts and Nevis to sign voluntary non-reimbursable grant with France
 

St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas greets France's Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis, Her Excellency Michele Sauteraud. Photo by Erasmus Williams)

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, SEPTEMBER 29TH 2008 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis  is getting US$295,000 from the Government of France for capacity building studies and technical assistance.

Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas and a Martinique-based representative of the Agency for French Development (AFD), Mr. J.C. Pecresse, will sign the agreement on Tuesday for a voluntary, non-reimbursable grant of US$295,303.61 or 200,000 euros.

Prime Minister Douglas was informed of the approval when he met last week with France’s Ambassador to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis Her Excellency Michel  Sauteraud, who was in Basseterre to attend Silver Anniversary Independence celebrations.

The money is for modernisation of the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport, provision of tailor-made vocational training programmes for the youth and upgrading of sewerage disposal.

Navigational and security experts from the French group Sofreavia will be undertaking an in-depth study of the airport facilities in mid-October.   

The grant-funded activities are in the framework of the French government’s regional cooperation programme aimed at enhancing closer trade, cultural and educational links between the French-speaking territories in the region and the English-speaking Caribbean states.