PM Douglas reinforces intention to move towards Service-based Economy
By Melissa Bryant
Reporter~SKNVibes.com
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Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas
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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – PRIME MINISTER Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas has once again asserted that his administration made the right choice by closing the sugar industry in 2005, noting “it was the right decision to put St. Kitts and Nevis on a new path towards development”.
The reinforcement came during his brief remarks at the signing of the Country Strategy Paper (CSP) on Thursday, December 11 at the Ocean Terrace Inn, where it was also announced that the European Commission (EC) had approved the disbursement of the first fixed tranche to the Federation of 5.457 million Euros under the 2007 Annual Action Plan for Accompanying Measures for Sugar Protocol Countries.
According to Dr. Douglas, the funds would be utilised to assist in the overall transformation of the economy from sugar dependence to one led by services, particularly hospitality and tourism.
“The money will be used for the development of a competitive edge that we must acquire if we are to be taken seriously in the global markets.
“We will now be more able to interact with the external environment in a beneficial way by the improvement of the information technology sector and by the enhancement of services the government provides to the public,” he revealed. ~~Adz:Right~~
The PM further stated that the national economy is now supported by the international financial services sector, the information communication technology sector, a light manufacturing enclave, and a diversified agriculture sector that is fast developing.
He noted that the government had made a concerted effort to give “more and more” of the sugar lands to small farmers in order to tackle the problem of food insecurity, to give the farmers a chance to make decent lives for themselves and to further advance the overall development of the nation.
“[The government] is trying to modernise and energise the people of this country in an economy where sugar is no longer the leader. [It] is also trying to bring them up to speed in terms of using these services to further advance the economy,” Douglas said.
He stressed the decision to close the sugar industry was one that was executed after consultations with civil society, non-governmental organisations and community groups, the private sector and other political parties.
