BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – PRIME MINISTER of St. Kitts and Nevis Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris said that the US Government is pleased with the level of cooperation delivered by the Team Unity Government on the Citizenship by Investment Programme.
Dr. Harris was at the time delivering one of his many reports at today’s (Jun. 30) sitting of Parliament.
He was in high praise of the Federation’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Mark Brantley, and Attorney-General Senator Vincent Byron Jr., whom he said, along with himself, were collectively engaged in many productive bilateral discussions with the Governments of the USA, United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union.
The Prime Minister declared that while every element of those engagements could not be put in the public’s domain for security and other reasons of international diplomacy, he could report that there is a renewed level of trust, confidence and goodwill among the five Governments.
“I want to record my appreciation to my colleague, the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mark Brantley and the Hon. Attorney-General, Vincent Byron, who have been as much a part of these bilateral engagements as I have been.
“Hon. Mark Brantley has pursued this foreign policy assignment with a tenacity which is commendable. Yesterday at Cabinet the Foreign Affairs Minister reported on his meetings with representatives of the US Government. I felt a sense of our collective vindication when he reported that the United States Government was positive and pleased about the level of cooperation on the CBI Programme that this new Team Unity Government has delivered.”
Dr. Harris said Ministers of his Government would not sit on their laurels, but would prove themselves as a worthy and reliable international partner in the fight against illicit and criminal actors and activities.
“Our ultimate aim is to clear the good name of our country which was tarnished during the tenure of the defunct regime,” he added.
He stressed that the recent development is a further growing sign of ease in the Federation’s relationship that diplomatic notes of the type sent in January 2015 and February 2015, including a letter from US Secretary of State John Kerry, feature no more.
“We are off to a fresh start. Our willingness to work cooperatively and in concert with critical stakeholders was evidenced when on June 15-16, 2015 St. Kitts and Nevis hosted the first international Conference on the Citizenship by Investment Programme at the Ocean Terrace Inn.
“That Conference drew participation from Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and host country St Kitts and Nevis. We were delighted to have had input from the EU, Canada, UK, USA Government, all of whom lauded this historic inaugural Conference as a positive,” he said.
He stated that the Conference was aimed at creating a regional framework to guide the development of the Citizenship by Investment Programme in the region, establish best practice standards and create a framework for networking, transparency and information sharing among those countries involved in the Programme.
“We will continue our outreach with the UK, EU, USA, Canada and all legitimate international actors,” said Dr. Harris.
He noted that the Programme means too much to too many and that is the reason why his Government had spent considerable time meeting with service providers, developers, agents and interested partners in the Federation as well as abroad.
“We met with principals and agents and associates of Park Hyatt, Christophe Harbour, Hilden Development, KOI Resort, Marriott Hotel, T-Loft Development, Royal St. Kitts Hotel (Jack Tar), Bella Vista, Embassy Suites, etc. We have met with large and small developers such as Deon Daniel, Gregory Hardtman, etc.”
The Prime Minister stated that his Government had also met with lawyers and that they had listened to the ordinary people who, like the meek, have no place to call home but St. Kitts and Nevis.
“They want a good life. They also want their country’s good name to be protected at all cost. They want a fair share of their labour on the job and equitable treatment in the work place. We support our workers on all CBI projects and we will insist on a fair share for them,” he added.
The Federation’s Prime Minister proclaimed that his Government values the input of stakeholders, but “ultimately the Government must do what is right and proper for the country not this week or next month, nor next year but for the medium and long term.
He said it is the medium and long term merits of public policy that the Government must deal with.
