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Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Technology and Sustainable Development Hon. Nigel Carty |
Basseterre, St. Kitts (November 19, 2004): Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Technology and Sustainable Development Hon. Nigel Carty said Thursday that advancement toward the CARICOM Single Market and Economy and the creation of the OECS Economic Union and Single Financial Space demand a considerable amount of collaboration, coordination and harmonization.
He added that this is with respect to policies which have posed some capacity problems both at the OECS and CARICOM levels and at the level of member states.
The minister elucidated that at the domestic level, government has sought to respond to the challenges of the new world order by pursuing policies to foster and promote regional and sub-regional integration as well as allow greater economies of scale and the expansion of markets.
He disclosed that economic and product diversification as well as attracting foreign investment were also strategies being used by the Government.
Minister Carty explained that human resource development remains high on government’s agenda, and as such, Government continues to make substantial investment to provide quality education and training, affordable health care and adequate housing.
In the area of disaster relief, the minster said that concerted efforts have been made to incorporate disaster mitigation in the planning process in order to reduce loss and minimize disaster related risks.
Additionally the minister stated that government’s creation of a Ministry of Sustainable Development incorporates the development and planning, lands and environmental functions under a single ministry to give greater effect to the sustainable development agenda.
