NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS – The Honourable Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, says he is pleased with the discussions that took place during the joint Cabinet meeting with the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) and the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis on Monday, January 22.
“I was pleased to welcome Prime Minister Drew and his Cabinet team to Nevis and to be afforded an opportunity for a joint Cabinet discussion which was frank and refreshing and focused on our shared commitment to a sustainable island State for St. Kitts and Nevis, Premier Brantley told the Department of Information following the assemblage of government Ministers at the Four Seasons Resort, Nevis.
“Both the Prime Minister and I have committed to greater dialogue and deeper engagement to allow opportunities for sharing ideas about our Federation’s development. St. Kitts and Nevis needs all hands on deck and we must work together to ensure that no Kittitian and no Nevisian is left behind.”
This was the first such joint Cabinet meeting between the Premier Brantley-led Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) Nevis Island Administration and the Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew-led St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party administration.
Prime Minister Drew also committed to advancing the synergistic relationship between the two islands, which he opined would directly impact the overall growth and development of the twin islands.
He highlighted that the Federal government is putting its support behind the Nevis Geothermal Energy Project, which once actualized, will mean cheaper and cleaner energy for St. Kitts and Nevis.
In his opening remarks at Monday’s joint Cabinet meeting Prime Minister Drew disclosed that, “One of the major things we intend to push through is geothermal. The resource resides here in Nevis and needs the input of the Federal Government. You and I [Premier Brantley] have sat and discussed that this resource can serve all of our people and the Federal Government will put all the resources that it has to put to see this come to a reality.
He continued, “I want to say that this in itself is a revolutionary move where now we have investors and other countries who are willing to come on board because we have decided that St. Kitts and Nevis will move together on this resource to benefit and transform us as a Federation.’
The Prime Minister pledged that the Federal Government would ensure that the people and island of Nevis will be beneficiaries of a number of new initiatives such as the Financial Education and Savings Programme. This programme will see children between the ages of 5 to 18 receiving a savings account and shares in government majority-owned companies totaling $1000.
Also in attendance at the joint Cabinet meeting were Deputy Premier the Hon. Eric Evelyn, the Hon. Spencer Brand, the Hon. Troy Liburd, the Hon. Jahnel Nisbett, and Cabinet Secretary Mr. Stedmond Tross from the NIA, and from the Federal Government Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, the Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, the Hon. Konris Maynard, the Hon. Samal Duggins, the Hon. Joyelle Clarke, the Hon. Isalean Phillip, and Cabinet Secretary Dr. Marcus Natta.