GOVERNMENT UNDERTAKES MAJOR NATIONAL PUBLIC ROADS SAFETY PROJECT LEFT UNDONE FOR MANY YEARS

Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 12, 2020 (SKNIS): The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis in its efforts to improve the quality of life for its citizens, embarked upon a national public safety initiative with the installation of island-wide sidewalks to cater to pedestrians. Minister of Public Infrastructure, Honourable Ian Patches Liburd, said this during the House of Assembly on February 12, 2020. “Mr. Speaker, under the former administration, sidewalks were non-existent in some areas,” said the Minister of Public Infrastructure. “The Douglas Party, Mr. Speaker, which ruled this country for 20 years, never catered to the people in these communities,” said Minister Liburd. He said that “whereas a significant portion of the population walk,” the previous administration didn’t take this into consideration as if “it was okay to walk in the road and be exposed to traffic.” “They showed no concern for people … who walked in the villages,” Minister Liburd said. He added, “I am advised Mr. Speaker that phase two of the island main road project is well advanced, and we have repeated the activities with the small contractors and to date, some sixteen contractors have been engaged to an amount of twenty-five million dollars, going into the pockets of small contractors.” Minister Liburd said that the engagement of small contractors and workers will have a cascading effect on the economy of St. Kitts and Nevis, especially in the villages.