BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, September 22, 2020 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, today (Tuesday, September 22) participated in the 10th Concordia Annual Summit virtually, where he shared with the international community the Federation’s successful handling of the COVID-19 situation, and his Government’s comprehensive support to citizens and residents impacted as a result of the economic fallout due to the global pandemic.
The Concordia Annual Summit, which this year runs from September 21-25, is regarded as the leading non-partisan global affairs forum that convenes the world’s most prominent business, government, and nonprofit leaders to foster dialogue and enable effective partnerships for positive social impact.
Prime Minister Harris participated in a panel discussion on ‘The Power of Social Impact Investments for a Sustainable Future’. He was joined on that panel by Ambassador (Dr.) Amina Mohamed, Minister of Sports, Heritage and Culture in the Republic of Kenya; Mr. Armand Arton, founder and president of Arton Capital, and Dr. Nouriel Roubini, CEO of Roubini Macro Associates, LLC.
Dr. Harris detailed that it was as a result of the inflows generated through the country’s highly regarded Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme that has, in large measure, enabled St. Kitts and Nevis to stay afloat during these most difficult times.
“Clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down and has created enormous challenges for people everywhere. Had it not been for the CBI programme we would not have been able to respond as successfully as we have with respect to COVID-19,” the honourable prime minister said.
In March 2020, the Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris-led Government of St. Kitts and Nevis unveiled a massive $120-million-dollar stimulus package to help soften the significant health, fiscal and economic impact COVID-19 disease would have on the Federation.
“The situation now with respect to COVID-19 is that St. Kitts and Nevis has emerged as the model of a well-managed state with respect to COVID-19. We were the last country [in the Western Hemisphere] to have experienced a COVID case and that was because very early we responded in the right way by closing our borders and putting in place quarantine facilities and isolation centers and we were able to move at a rapid rate to safeguard our country from the importation of the virus,” Prime Minister Harris added.
The prime minister was supported in Tuesday morning’s virtual forum by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), Mr. Les Khan, and Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister with oversight for the CBI programme, Mr. Andrew Skerritt.
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