Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 04, 2013 (SKNIS): A Ministerial Declaration and a Three-Year Action Plan are the two substantial outcomes of the UNESCO Inter-Ministerial and Experts Conference on Biosphere Reserves in the Caribbean Sub Region which was held in St. Kitts last week.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 4^TH 2013 (CUOPM) – The US$38 million (EC$103 million) Silver Reef development at Frigate Bay continues with the construction of three additional buildings.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 3^RD 2013 (CUOPM) – Despite the challenges, St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas said his governing Labour Party remains determined to move the twin-island nation forward.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 2ND 2013 (CUOPM) – The people of St. Kitts and Nevis has been assured of the government’s commitment to promoting economic growth and that it does not exist in a vacuum.

“We seek an expanded economic activity not simply in order for it to be reflected in a report somewhere.  We have made these priorities in order that the men and women of St. Kitts and Nevis might be active and fulfilled participants in this heightened economic activity, both applying the skills they now possess, as well as by moving to acquire whatever skills they may currently lack,” said Dr. Douglas during his weekly radio programme “Ask the Prime Minister.”

He referred to the People Empowerment Programme, a joint initiative between the Government and the Sugar Industry Diversification Fund (SIDF) that gives Kittitians and Nevisians desirous of acquiring or strengthening the skills thus enabling them to participate in the new economy.

“The Budget will provide for increased investment in our country’s capital projects. Next Tuesday, I will be able to expand on this point and provide the level of detail that would not be possible now, because of I must leave some time for your questions.  The point is that it is my Government’s job to anticipate the needs of our nation, and to meet them.  And that is what this Budget does.  As a result, among the capital investments provided for in the Budget will the drilling of wells and other activities throughout the country, on which I will expand on Tuesday,” said Prime Minister Douglas, who pointed out that even with these increased investments in capital programs, the 2013 Budget will still produce a surplus.

“This is quite significant. And not everyone can say this.  Without being too specific, and regrettably for example, even some countries with which we feel special bonds of kinship are experiencing great difficulties in this regard, with dire consequences, for example, for their civil servants,” said Dr. Douglas,

“And this is what we meant when we explained that as a result of having cut our debt almost in half, we would have more resources with which to meet the needs of the country and meet the needs of our people,” said the Prime Minister.

He disclosed that the close monitoring of the VAT is a number one priority, in order that a review can be made, as soon as conditions permit.

“In addition, the country’s social safety net, designed to protect the most vulnerable among us, remains strong, firmly in place, and un-cut in the Budget that I will present next week,” said Dr. Douglas, who further stated that his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Government will take measures to “provide free and identical health care to every single Government employee – without regard to rank, seniority, or any other consideration.”

“This was a major and indeed historic step,” said Prime Minister Douglas, who indicated his government’s commitment freeing thousands of Government employees from the financial distress so many all over the world experience whenever they, or a family member, are struck with a serious illness.

“We announced at the time that health care for Government employees was Step One of a two-step process, Step Two being the provision of health care to every national of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

He said the Budget will demonstrate the seriousness of government’s commitment to the capitalization of the National Insurance Programme in order to bring to an end the days of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis having to accumulate gigantic debts, or even be forced to sell their homes, in order to meet the costs of a major illness.

“In St. Kitts and Nevis, there will be health care for all.  And this Budget will place us squarely and securely on that path,” said Prime Minister Douglas.

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Last Wednesday morning at about 10am, police on St. Kitts responded to the discovery of a dead body between a small space of two buildings, one of which was a guest house and apartment building and an abandoned building near the Jenkins Funeral Home on Market Street.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 3RD 2013 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis will expore the possibility of establishing an Embassy in the Republic of Cuba in 2014 in an effort to strengthen the existing relationship between both carribbean nations.

CHARLESTOWN, Nevis, April 2, 2013: Illegal sand mining which is said to be rampant especially at the Indian Castle coastline must stop, Nevis Island Administration (Nevis Island Administration) officials told reporters last Thursday at a press conference held at the Nevis Disaster Preparedness Unit, Long Point.

As many persons took time off to rest during Easter, Joseph Harvey and Whisky, his pet monkey were busy entertaining cruise ship passengers at Port Zante.

Charlestown, Nevis - A regional Prison Ministries symposium hosted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church on Nevis was held at the grounds of the ST.James’ Primary School over the Easter weekend.

‘The St.George’s Development and Enhancement Committee has embarked on an ambitious program for 2013.’  So says Community Development Officer for St.George’s, Ms Joyce Moven.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 3RD 2013 (CUOPM) – Two cruise ships with nearly 7,500 passengers onboard docked at St. Kitts’ Port Zante on Wednesday, bringing the number of cruise passengers to 15,700 over the two day period.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 2ND 2013 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas says next week’s Tuesday Budget Session of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly is in compliance with legislation approved by the lawmaking body in 2007. The Budget Session is traditionally held in December, but has on occasions presented at other dates.

“The Finance Administration Act passed by the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly on the 28th June 2007, Assented to by His Excellency the Governor General on the 11th of July 2007 and which came into force on the 1st of November 2007, provides in paragraph 31 under the heading, Provisional General Warrants and Reservations for the Budget to be presented within four months of the start of the Financial Year,” Prime Minister Douglas told listeners to his weekly radio programme “Ask the Prime Minister.”

Dr. Douglas, who is also Minister of Finance, quoted Section 31, which states: “If the Appropriation Act for a financial year has not come into operation at the commencement of the financial year, the Minister may by provisional general warrant under his or her hand authorise expenditures necessary to carry on the services of Government until the expiration of four months from the beginning of that financial year or the coming into operation of the Appropriation Act, whichever is the earlier...”

“I want to say to the citizens of this country that in January, I used this particular provision to ensure that the government is able to spend money and could be able to collect taxes up to the end of April of this year. That is why it is now necessary to go into Parliament to ensure that the Appropriation Act allows us to continue to spend money and to collect our taxes so that we would be able to meet our commitments for the rest of this fiscal year,” said Prime Minister Douglas, silencing the opposition People’s Action Movement (PAM), the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the St. Kitts Christian Council and the St. Kitts Evangelical Association who have issued statements that the deadline for the presentation of the 2013 Budget in the National Assembly was 1st March 2013.

“My Government has always been resolute in our commitment to respect and uphold the Constitution, and that we continue to be, because it is by so doing that we are able to uphold and protect our nation,” said Dr. Douglas, who confidently stated that as Minister of Finance, he will present the Fiscal Year 2013 Budget of St. Kitts and Nevis almost one month earlier than the April 30, 2013 deadline specified in the legislation.

“In keeping with well-established and never-once challenged practice in St. Kitts and Nevis, I will present the Estimates at the same time as the Budget, as every PAM and Labour Government, without exception, always has. The Budget will be debated,” Dr. Douglas said.

He said the Budget has the support of the majority of legislators in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly and will be passed permitting the funding of Government programmes, the payment of Government bills and the meeting of myriad Government financial obligations to move forward, unabated.

“Most of all, this smooth and unbroken meeting of the Government’s responsibilities will keep intact St. Kitts and Nevis’ reputation as a well-managed, responsible, self-respecting and respectable member of the world community of democratic nations,” said Prime Minister Douglas.

He urged listeners to the programme, syndicated on several radio stations to follow the meetings of the lawmaking body.

“I urge you to tune in, in order to follow more closely the work of the legislators you elected to advance the nation’s interests – or who were nominated by the Government or the Opposition to help assume these important responsibilities,” said Dr. Douglas.

“Many of you will have followed our Nation’s Budget Presentations from one year to the next, just as many of you may have participated in the annual Consultations on the Economy in years gone by, a process which facilitates the Government’s consulting with a vast array of analysts, practitioners, and decision-makers from all sectors, in order to seek their insights on the way forward, and to share with them our own thinking on the way forward as well,” said Prime Minister Douglas.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MARCH 30TH 2013 (CUOPM) – The United States Virgin Islands have now turned to moral suasion in an attempt to get fellow rum producing nations in the Caribbean Forum nation to back down from plans to take their ongoing dispute before the World Trade Organisation (WTO). 

Post office employees from various islands in the region took time off their busy schedules to vacation for six days in St. Kitts and Nevis. Every year the

Basseterre, St. Kitts – On a rainy Saturday afternoon, members of the Rotary Club of Liamuiga and the Rotary Club of St. Kitts came together at the RLB

(EMU) – St. Kitts: A student at the Washington Archibald High School, Annick Bedford, successfully led her team to victory in the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge National Competition which featured innovations in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

5TH & 6TH Grade Tucker-Clarke Students Encouraged to Apply

Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 03, 2013 (SKNIS): Viewers of The O’Reilly Factor on the FOX News Channel (FNC) got a glimpse of the beauty and charm of St. Kitts and Nevis last night (April 02).

(St John’s, Antigua) – Government, which has been burned by bad investments too often in the past, has not apologised for its thorough due diligence process, despite protests from one investor.

(St John’s Antigua) – Eldest son of the nation’s founding father and namesake Vere Bird Jr., has died.

His son Vere Bird III confirmed the death occurred at 2:15 pm Sunday, March 31, at Dr Joey John’s Clinic.