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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (FEBRUARY 10TH 2004) – Despite the economic challenges faced by St. Kitts and Nevis, other Caribbean nations and countries around the world, the governing Labour Party says it was still able to meet its obligations to the citizens.
St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr., the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas told a packed Town Hall Meeting at the Estridge Primary School in Mansion that while the world economy is turning around, there has been a significant increase in tourism and sugar agriculture continues to have a negative impact on the economy, “there is a brighter hope around the corner.”
“We continue to lose over EC$35 million every year in the sugar industry, but we have continued to keep the industry going so that the 900 persons who are directly employed in the sugar industry will continue to find work,” said Prime Minister Douglas. Government continues to look at ways of diversifying the industry and make it more cost effective.
Dr. Douglas said his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Government, when it took office in 1995 introduced a Short-Term Work Experience Programme which employed over 1200 persons and started several projects aimed at boosting the economy.
Government he noted had to introduce some measures to ensure that the necessary services including electricity and water, school books and the social assistance programme continued to provide assistance to the those who needed it most.
“There is no Government in this country that could have done better than us. No Government in the Eastern Caribbean could have taken these challenges, the way that we have taken,” said Prime Minister Douglas, pointing out that neighboring islands have had to face awesome challenges including lay-offs of civil servants and late payment of their salaries.
“Here in St. Kitts and in Nevis, every civil servant is paid on time and before the end of every month,” said Prime Minister Douglas to the rousing applause of the packed and overflowing room.
The economic growth in St. Kitts and Nevis has slowed due to several factors including widespread damage to the tourism plant, infrastructure and crops from the ravages of hurricanes Luis, Marilyn, Jose, Georges and Lenny, a flood, terrorist attacks on the United States and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which snarled international travel and pushed up oil prices, increased the cost of production and higher prices of commodities.
“Though we have gone through a period of difficulties, no one, no PAM, no NRP, no CCM, could have done a better job that the Labour Government of today,” said Prime Minister Douglas, who further pointed out that despite the difficulties a brand new multi-million dollar Joseph N. France General Hospital has been built on St. Kitts.
“No hospital in the Eastern Caribbean can touch the Joseph N. France General Hospital,” said Prime Minister Douglas to the tumultuous applause of the residents from Constituency Seven – Ottley’s to Belle Vue.
Dr. Douglas said during the period of difficulties, his governing St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Government was also able to build several schools. “We are now going to build a brand new high school in Saddlers and construction is to start late this year under your distinguished Minister of Education and Parliamentary Representative, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris, his Permanent Secretary, Mr. Osmond Petty and Chief Education Officer, Mr. Patrick Welcome.
“We have expanded several primary schools and this very school that we are in this evening is a new one built and has come about as a result of what this Government has been doing in ensuring that the economy and the finances of this country are kept intact,” said Dr. Douglas.
He said children in the constituency, like others elsewhere in St. Kitts and Nevis, were not at a disadvantage by being unable to buy school uniforms, take the bus to school and pay their fees for overseas examinations.
“We have said that no child must be hungry in the primary schools and so we have continued the provision of hot lunches for all primary school children and introduced similar provision for those students of high school who would want to be assisted by a hot meal at lunch time,” said Dr. Douglas.
He said the Rural Adult Education Programme provides an opportunity, never before offered in this country for young people who want to acquire new skills or update existing ones.
“We have said that we want to empower our young women. We want to give them new skills, provide them with opportunities in the evening when they have returned from work, to go to the class rooms and learn skills that they can utilise later on and advance their themselves in life,” said the Prime Minister, who said his government has moved to ensure that almost every community has a daycare center with the capability of proper care for their children while they are at work.
Dr. Douglas said the Home Care Programme introduced by his caring Labour Government has brought new hope and happiness to the scores of senior citizens around St. Kitts.
“We have ensured that our elderly folks are not left behind in the dark back rooms of their homes. We have made sure that their hair is comb, they are tidy, they are health, happy and the sanitation of their homes is good,” said the Prime Minister.
Under the Home Care Programme, the Ministry of Social Development and Community Affairs provides trained Home Care Officers, who also provide cooked hot lunches for the senior citizens and ensure they take their medication. |
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