Cayon, St. Kitts July 30, 2013 (Pelican News Link):-"Our future depends on the imagination and vision of our leaders, good governance means we must see things as they ought to be, not as they are".
So says the Honourable Eugene Hamilton as he delivered yet another of his signature powerful and policy-rich presentations. Hamilton was addressing another packed Town Hall meeting is his constituency.
The People's Action Movement deputy Political Leader and parliamentary representative for the area was interrupted throughout his presentation by several approving cheers and applause, as he continued his advocacy for real solutions to the nation's problems. Hamilton provided further insights into his long proposed Universal Health Insurance Scheme, Venture Capital Funding approach to small business development, Housing, and a Wealth Creation plan for former Sugar Workers.
St. Kitts Nevis was one of the earliest East Caribbean Nations to embrace Universal Health coverage for Public Servants. The revolutionary Health Insurance Scheme designed by Representative Hamilton was introduced in 1992 under the PAM/NRP government. It provided coverage for local care and extended coverage for procedures at regional and extra regional providers, including major medical coverage. Every public servant from the Governor General to the lowest paid employee on the government's payroll was included.
It was during the election campaign of 2004 that the Hon. Eugene Hamilton first outlined a plan to provide Comprehensive Health Insurance coverage so that all residents would be guaranteed coverage in the event of major medicals, including costly overseas procedures. It is of interest to note that Prime Minister Douglas at the time announced with much fanfare that government will implement such a plan. Nine years later the nation still awaits the implementation of the Douglas plan. Hamilton points out that as we approach an election government once again has been floating another similar announcement, although no such allocation can be found in the 2013 budget.
Always solution driven, the parliamentarian went on to trumpet his Venture Capital Funding idea which dates back prior to the general elections of 2004, when he recognized that the national economy was already showing signs of fatigue. He points out that, "Venture Capital Funding can create wealth for our citizens; it is one of the ways to guarantee development, growth, and profitability for our people as they take advantage of Start-up Capital; soft capital; and through innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, create wealth for themselves and their families".
While several other governments in the region and beyond including that of Barbados quickly recognized the benefits to be derived from such an initiative, and have since implemented a similar policy in order to grow their own economies, our government in yet another display of ineptitude failed to understand the potential of such an initiative and consequently failed to give it timely consideration. Instead, this bankrupt-of-ideas Labour administration accelerated its thrust for direct Foreign Investment to the detriment of our people and our Nation.
Most Economists agree that small business development is the engine of growth in the economy.
However, new business owners with innovative and potentially profitable ideas often face difficulties in obtaining capital. Venture Capital Funding is an attractive alternative for these new start-ups with limited operating history, are too small to raise capital in the public markets, and have not reached the point where they are able to secure a traditional bank loan.
Former Sugar workers in the audience were evidently moved as Hamilton turned to address their plight. The Representative detailed a proposal that would ensure that the redundant sugar workers become financially independent pursuing their collective investments.
He suggested that government should have set up a Sugar Workers Holding Company and made each worker a shareholder by having them invest twenty percent of their redundant income that was estimated to be $44 million dollars. He explained that twenty percent or $8.8 million would have been the immediate Capital base of that company. "Government should have followed my proposal and transfer one hundred acres of land to that company which was estimated at $5 million dollars capital gain making the equity of that company roar towards $14 million EC dollars before planting a stake in the ground".
Hamilton went on to point out that the transfer could have been into Kittitian Hill, so that the development taking place at Kittitian Hill therefore, could have been owned by the redundant sugar cane workers and that project could have been funded in the same way that the Labour Government has used SIDF (SUGAR WORKERS MONEY) to help foreigners to make millions from that development.
Hamilton described his proposals as simple, but with potential for profound impact on the development of our State and our people. All of which he said have been ignored by the Douglas led Labour government. According to the Representative "Today while the foreigners are expecting to rake in millions, our redundant sugar workers are condemned to a life of poverty and perpetual slavery. A unity government will bring imagination and vision in order to improve the lives of all our people".
Monday night's meeting at the Cayon community centre was the third in a series of Town Hall meetings on proposed boundary changes, organized by the People's Action Movement and its unity partners.
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