BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MAY 31ST 2005 Norway indicated Tuesday an interest in assisting the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis in aquaculture or fish farming and is willing to provide technical assistance in other sectors of the marine industry.
Norwegian Ambassador to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, His Excellency Ulnes Dag Mork told St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas during a meeting Tuesday afternoon, that the European nation is also willing to assist the region in setting up an emergency monitoring system to detect a tsunami.
He said Norway was also willing to look at the further development of the water supply to provide water for irrigation and other domestic use.
The importance of tourism in the further transformation of the St. Kitts and Nevis economy, in light of the exit from sugar production, was also discussed.
We are developing our tourism to become the leading sector and we are trying to enhance the development of this sector as much as possible, said Prime Minister Douglas, who noted that the recent establishment of the Angelus, the Royal St. Kitts Marriott, the St. Kitts Scenic Railway, the re-opening of the Golf Course, the increase in hotels rooms with the expansion of existing properties and the establishment of several tourism-related businesses, have provided jobs for hundreds of nationals.
We are relying heavily on the further development of tourism to absorb those new entrants into the work force. We believe strongly that with the recent increase in the number of visitors, there is a tremendous potential for growth in tourism in the future, said Dr. Douglas, who added that his Government was doing what was possible to enhance that growth.
He pointed out that there is the need for continuing need for training and acquisition of skills in the hospitality industry. We have already introduced hospitality programmes at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College and it is that area we need to concentrate in retooling and reskilling of our people, especially those that are moving from other sectors into the tourism industry, said Prime Minister Douglas.
Ambassador Mork suggested that the current workers in the sugar industry should be able to transform their agricultural-knowledge and skills from the sugar industry to producing vegetables and food for the tourist sector.
One does not have to look at the export market. The market is already here. It is the local population and the near 400,000 visitors who come to St. Kitts and Nevis. They must eat and if there is the reliability on the small farmer and a relationship established between them and the hoteliers, we can in a reliable way, supply fruits and vegetables to the hotels, said Prime Minister Douglas, who added that all efforts are being made to establish and strengthen that linkage between the tourism sector and the agricultural sector.
