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Premier Amory (right) welcomes Ambassador Ask. Seen in the middle is Mrs Cecilia Ask |
Charlestown Nevis (May 31, 2005) -- Nevis Premier, the Hon Vance Amory, has made an appeal to Sweden to consider a policy change that would enable it to give assistance to Caribbean countries whose per capita GDP is above the threshold that Swedes would provide assistance of grants and free technical assistance.
In a meeting held Tuesday in his office at the historic Bath Hotel with the newly appointed Swedish Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis, His Excellency Dr Sten Ask, Premier Amory pointed out that a high per capita GDP was not indicative of a country which did not have needs.
Sweden is one of the biggest supporters of poor countries especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, but does not give technical assistance directly to countries like St. Kitts and Nevis, said Premier Amory, in a post-meeting interview with the Government Information Service.
He observed that the most important issue for him was whether or not the Swedish government could be persuaded to provide direct assistance for Nevis, St. Kitts and other Caribbean countries, just as they do with countries in Africa.
Premier Amory indicated to Ambassador Ask some of the social infrastructural needs, which Nevis has and in which Sweden could help through direct assistance by the provision of technological support, and support for education, social and health infrastructure or for physical infrastructure like roads.
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Deputy Governor General for Nevis, His Honour Mr Eustace John, welcomes to the Government House at Belle Vue, Swedish Ambassador, His Excellency Dr Sten Ask. |
I raised also whether or not his country would not consider changing its policies after having come and visited physically and recognising the actual needs of our country even though our per capita GDP is above the threshold which they would easily provide assistance of grants or free technical assistance to help us to develop, commented Premier Amory.
During the meeting with Premier Amory, it was agreed that Sweden would look for possibilities of providing scholarships for talented Nevisian students to study Information Technology in Sweden, and to encourage for more Swedish tourists to visit Nevis, which the Ambassador said was a beautiful island.
Ambassador Ask, who is accompanied by his wife, Mrs Cecilia Ask, is based in Stockholm and is accredited to 12 Caribbean countries. He presented his credentials to the Governor General of St. Kitts and Nevis His Excellency Dr Cuthbert Sebastian on Monday in Basseterre.
On Tuesday morning, before the meeting with Premier Amory, Ambassador Ask called on the Deputy Governor General for Nevis, His Honour Mr Eustace John at Government House in Belle Vue. He is yet to visit Dominican Republic, Dominica, Guyana and Grenada.
