Author: SKNISEditor

Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 21, 2023 (SKNIS): Thirteen exemplary nationals of St. Kitts and Nevis were invested with the 2023 National Honours Awards for their exceptional contribution to the development of the Federation at an Investiture Ceremony held by Her Excellency the Governor-General, Dame Marcella Liburd, on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at Government House. This year’s recipients of the Companion of the Star of Merit, who were first honoured on National Heroes Day on September 16, 2023, include Daniel Arthurton (Agriculture, Farming, and Small Business Development), Ima Stanley (Nursing), Ian Queeley (Law Enforcement), Carmen Ward (Education), Ingrid Berridge (Education), Prisca…

16 November 2023 – Bridgetown, Barbados – Across the globe, World Fisheries Day will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 21 2023, under the theme, “Investing in social protection to secure equitable Blue Transformation in the fisheries sector; an opportunity to recognize and celebrate fisherfolks as “Food Heroes”. According to the “Food systems and COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean 2020”, a joint publication from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other UN partner agencies, the fisheries sector supports the livelihoods of millions of people globally in rural and coastal communities. At a global level…

Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis, November 21, 2023 (Press Secretary, PMOSKN)- Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew concluded a highly productive visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, marking his participation in the inaugural CARICOM-Saudi Arabia Summit in Riyadh. During this significant Summit, Prime Minister Drew engaged in several impactful bilateral discussions that were aimed at fostering robust partnerships and advancing Saint Kitts and Nevis’ Sustainable Island State agenda. Amidst the CARICOM-Saudi Arabia Summit, Prime Minister Drew held pivotal meetings with key Saudi officials, exploring prospective investment opportunities crucial to furthering his nation’s sustainable mandate. The discussions centred on financing renewable…

Haiti continues to hurt. The cycle of depredations and violence of the armed gangs continues, expanding to new areas and adding to the already high number of victims. The political actors, fully aware of this dire reality, continue their zero-sum approach to the efforts to reach an agreement that would bring an end to the protracted political deadlock, opening the way to address the other facets of the crisis. The Eminent Persons Group (EPG) of CARICOM carried out their third visit to Haiti on 8-14 November 2023. They were buoyed initially by the prospects raised by information that tentative agreement…

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, November 21, 2023 (SKNIS) – With the passage of the amendments to the Cannabis Act in the National Assembly on Monday, November 20, the responsibility for the buildout of a thriving medicinal cannabis industry now lies with the Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Samal Duggins. Before the amendments were approved during Monday’s sitting, the responsibility for the Medicinal Cannabis Authority was held by the Prime Minister. In his contribution to the debate on the Cannabis (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Minister Duggins welcomed the transfer of responsibility. “Cannabis is a crop Madame Deputy Speaker, and for too long it…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, NOVEMBER 20, 2023 – The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) is delighted to announce that our E-Government Portal as a part of our new Tax Administration System, SMARTS (Smart Modernized Administration for Revenue and Taxation System), is scheduled to go live on January 23rd, 2024. This development represents a significant leap forward in our ongoing commitment to delivering a more efficient and user-friendly tax experience for all stakeholders. SMARTS is purposefully designed to simplify and enhance the entire tax process, ensuring it is more intelligent, accessible, and efficient. We encourage all taxpayers to take note…

The Right Honourable Dr. Denzil L. Douglas arrived in Dublin, Ireland, to attend the inaugural Ireland-Latin America and the Caribbean Business and Economic Forum. This meeting follows on from Ireland’s new Latin America and Caribbean Strategy 2025, which aims to bring Ireland and the LAC region closer together through a broader partnership in trade and investment, people-to-people contacts and economic relations. “The timing of this forum is most opportune. While it aims to increase Ireland’s diplomatic and economic footprint in our region; it coincides with St. Kitts-Nevis’s decision to enhance its partnership with the Republic of Ireland and aligns well…

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, November 21, 2023 (SKNIS) – In addition to passing four instrumental pieces of legislation on Monday, November 20, 2023, the National Assembly of St. Christopher and Nevis also adopted a resolution giving approval to the Government’s special Value Added Tax (VAT) reduction measures. The Resolution, which was moved by the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, signals the government’s commitment to bringing significant financial relief to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. The Resolution reads: Whereas it is provided by Section 27.2 of the Value Added Tax Act that the Minister…

Tuesday, 21 November 2023 (CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown): Ministers responsible for gender affairs and equality from CARICOM Member States and Associate Members are currently reviewing the draft CARICOM Gender Equality Strategy, “Stepping It Up: A Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality in the Caribbean Community”, during the Forty-Sixth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) – Gender. The Meeting, which is being convened on 20-21 November 2023 in Barbados, reaffirms Member States’ commitment to gender equality with the overarching goal of providing a strategy that holistically addresses the issue. UN partners under the Regional Spotlight Caribbean Programme, including UN Women…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, NOVEMBER 20, 2023 – The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) is delighted to announce that our E-Government Portal as a part of our new Tax Administration System, SMARTS (Smart Modernized Administration for Revenue and Taxation System), is scheduled to go live on January 23rd, 2024. This development represents a significant leap forward in our ongoing commitment to delivering a more efficient and user-friendly tax experience for all stakeholders. SMARTS is purposefully designed to simplify and enhance the entire tax process, ensuring it is more intelligent, accessible, and efficient. We encourage all taxpayers to take note…