Fellow citizens and residents and members of the media, good afternoon to you all.
Thank you for joining for this special and critically important dialogue on key matter of national importance.
- National Security
As Minister of National Security, but more so, as a citizen and father, I am truly disheartened by the recent acts of gun violence in and around our Capital Basseterre. Rest assured that your Government is working quickly and strategically to quell this violence and to safeguard you and your families. O
2. Health
On the Health front, we continue to build the process structures needed to improve the delivery of quality healthcare service sin our country. Key to this is ensuring that top management are in place and functioning effectively. I am pleased to welcome Dr. Sharon Archibald on her appointment as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, as well as Dr. Rondalyn Dennis-Bradshaw, who is now the new Principal Nursing Officer (PNO) in the Ministry of Health; a critical position that was left vacant for over 7 years.
We now have, from tomorrow Saturday February 4th, 2023, triage nurses as well as 2 doctors always stationed at the Accident & Emergency JNF General Hospital. This will significantly cutdown on the wait times for persons seeking varying levels of care.
3. Development Bank
In my capacity as Minister of Finance, I have received an independent, forensic audit report from about the finances and operations of the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis and I must say that the findings are indeed troubling for many reasons. There is evidence of general financial mismanagement, fiscal imprudence, flouting of internal policies, breaches of directors’ duties, shocking cash distribution activities and various other forms of improper actions.
4. PAP
The Federal Cabinet has approved the following priority households to receive payment of the Poverty Alleviation Programme:
- Households headed by seniors – that is persons 62 years and older who identified themselves as the main applicant for the benefit during the registration period.
- Households headed by persons with disabilities – that is persons who identified themselves as the main applicant for the benefit and indicated that they have a disability
- Households with minor children – that is unemployed and employed persons who identified themselves as the main applicant and whose households contain children under the age of 18. Unemployed heads of households with minor children will be prioritized within this category.
The first payment cycle of the Poverty Alleviation Program will be made to households headed by seniors and persons with disabilities only by Monday February 6th, 2023. All future payments to additional categories of beneficiaries will be made by the last working day of each month inclusive of February 2023.
5. Governor-General’s Installation Ceremony
History will be made once again in our country this Saturday February 4th, 2023 when the first female Governor-General in our nation’s history will be installed. The St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party has always been at the forefront of revolutionary initiatives, movements, and policies in St. Kitts and Nevis. The installation of Her Excellency Marcella A Liburd, Esq., JP is yet another example of the progressive and empowering ethos of this Labour Administration.
I say ‘congratulations’ to Her Excellency and look forward to the stellar service she will give to her country and people.
We will have Heads of State and Heads of Government who will also be here to witness this historic moment.
