Charlestown, Nevis (Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014) -Prime Minister of St. Kitts-Nevis, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas told hundreds of Nevisians, including business leaders, scores of first-time employees, and invited guests in attendance at a recent People’s Employment Program (P.E.P) cocktail that the Nevis Parliamentarian, the Hon. Patrice Nisbett is the hardest working Nevisian in the National Assembly.
Nisbett also joined the Denzil Douglas led Federal Government following the Jan. 25, 2010 Federal elections.
The cocktail reception which was held in the Courtyard of the Nevis Performing Arts Center (NEPAC) on Wednesday (16th April) was organized to show appreciation for the 500 plus employees of the PEP program on Nevis and their employers.
“Your representative in the Federal Cabinet, the Hon. Patrice Nisbett, has been keeping us well informed in terms of the needs that exist in Nevis, the areas in which he thinks the Federal Government might be of greatest help, and the ways in which – Nevis-itself – have been benefitting from the PEP,” Prime Minister Douglas told the appreciative crowd.
He congratulated the constituents of Nevis Eleven (St. James and St. Thomas) for electing the Hon. Nisbett to the Federal Parliament through which he has found his niche in the Federal Government. He challenged the attendees to think what could be achieved if Nevisians elected one more, or two more like Patrice Nisbett.
“Don’t disappoint yourself,” the Prime Minister urged.
He alluded that the present Premier, the Hon. Vance Amory had been in the Federal Parliament for 25 years, and the Hon. Mark Brantley for 7 years, and neither of these gentlemen have advocated for the populace of Nevis like Nisbett has. He lauded Nisbett as an advocate for Nevis. Douglas has also been an advocate for Nevis, as it is important to note that there has been a Federal office in Nevis since 1996 following Douglas’s election the previous year.
Apart from having over 500 employees on the PEP in Nevis, Nisbett can list among his many achievements: the distribution of WISE (Women in Small Enterprise) cheques to women in business, distribution of laptops to hundreds of secondary school children, assistance to students pursuing tertiary education, and the passage of the Long Service Gratuity
Act and other far-reaching pieces of legislation.
Also in attendance at the cocktail reception was PEP Project Manager Mr. Geoffrey Hanley, support staff from the PEP Secretariat and Ms. Kerrlyn Jones, coordinator of the Nevis PEP office.
The day following the cocktail, the Hon. Nisbett escorted the Prime Minister to Choice Community Radio 105.3FM where the PM was a guest on the popular radio talk show Breakfast Menu hosted by Walter Morton (Chef Waltie).
The Prime Minister also visited some businesses financed by the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) which includes Toes and Nails owned by Ms. Calette James and located in the Samuel Hunkins Building, and Mobile Bare Necessities owned by Ms. Eldaria Jones which operates at the historic Bath Stream.
The final stop was a visit to the constituency office of Minister Nisbett located in St. James’, where the Hon. Prime Minister and Minister Nisbett had one on ones with the general public
“I must say that I enjoyed my stay on Nevis and it was great to speak with the people about their concerns and challenges. I saw the love, respect and support they have for Minister Nisbett and I see and understand that he is a visionary man with great, progressive plans for his home island,” commented Prime Minister Douglas.