Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 23, 2016 (SKNIS): This year’s 33rd Independence Celebrations resulted in two major events being held on the island of Nevis namely the Prime Minister’s Lecture Series and Independence Visits to high schools by members of the Federal Cabinet.
While reflecting on the events during a recent interview, Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, noted that their significance comes from the history.
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“As we are celebrating 33 years of Independence and for the first time during the course of those celebrations, we have brought Nevis fully into the organization of those events, in that the [Independence] Committee, which was headed by Senator Wendy Phipps also had representation from Nevis,” said Dr. Harris. “That of course helped to ensure that Nevis was properly engaged in these activities.”
Prime Minister Harris said that as a result of a high level of planning and preparation, for the first time in 18 years of having the Prime Minister’s Lecture Series, Nevisians were given an opportunity to witness the lecture series and the Federation also had the opportunity to have a major Independence event taking place on the sister island.
“This speaks volumes as to where we are in terms of the relationship between the people of St. Kitts and Nevis and the relationship between the Federal Government and the Nevis Island Administration,” said the Prime Minister. “As a result, we have been able to work together so tremendously well [and] we were able to share appropriately with Nevis on the occasion of Independence.”
Dr. Harris described the featured speaker of the Lecture Series, Larry Quinlan, as a distinguished son of the soil, who shares both heritage and a history linked to Nevis and to St. Kitts.
“He brought an interesting lecture that touched on the all-powerful technology and its attraction to young people and how they can use it in ways that are beneficial to the advancement of their life,” he stated.
He commended Mr. Quinlan for agreeing to be a part of this year’s Independence Celebrations, and for bringing a lecture that was interesting and that resonated well with the young people, as well as everyone else who attended.
Mr. Quinlan also provided statistics, which indicated that St. Kitts and Nevis ranked high in regards to the internet penetration. “That for me was an important discovery in terms of where we were standing as a country. So for us the smallest country to be towering way beyond our physical dimensions, that was a critical point,” Dr. Harris added.
Prime Minister Harris stated that in his view of all the Lecture Series he has ever attended, this year’s proved to be the largest. He noted that he was especially impressed by the number of young persons who turned out.
Both the Prime Minister’s Lecture Series and the interaction with high school students were held at the Nevis Performing Arts Centre (NEPAC) on Monday, September 12 and Wednesday, September 14 respectively. Prime Minster Harris described the interaction with the youth as the most historic as His Excellency Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton joined the delegation for the first time.
