Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 25, 2021 (SKNIS): United States Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and OECS, Her Excellency Linda Taglialatela, said that her government will continue to support St. Kitts and Nevis and the region in their fight against the deadly COVID-19 virus.
The latest support was the donation from USAID (United States Agency for International Development) of an ambulance to the Ministry of Health, and a passenger bus to St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Society (SKNRCS) that were handed over during a brief yet significant ceremony on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, at the Joseph Nathaniel France (JNF) General Hospital.
“We are committed to helping those in the Eastern Caribbean. Throughout the pandemic, the United States has worked with organizations like IFRC [International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies] and UNICEF [United Nations International Children’s Fund]… to provide much-needed pandemic response assistance to St. Kitts and Nevis and the region,” said Ambassador Taglialatela during her virtual presentation to officially hand over an ambulance and a passenger bus to St. Kitts and Nevis. “In this fight, the United States remains your committed partner. I am proud that our partnership stands as strong as ever. Strengthening collaboration with one another, together we will continue to meet this moment of challenge to our healthcare systems.”
Ambassador Taglialatela noted that the donation will aid St. Kitts and Nevis in bolstering its health system.
“We know that this donation will help you to continue your model management of COVID-19 for the benefit of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. We are in this together and together we will rise to overcome the challenges presented by this pandemic,” she said. “The ambulance will be donated to JNF to support patient transport throughout St. Kitts and Nevis and the bus will be used by the National Red Cross Society to transport volunteers and staff to support raising community awareness about virus protection.”
Her Excellency Taglialatela commended the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis for its continued success in ensuring that citizens and residents remain safe during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“I recognize the government’s substantial leadership in keeping the people of St. Kitts and Nevis safe during the pandemic,” said the ambassador. St. Kitts and Nevis continues to be one of the most successful countries in the Hemisphere in containing the spread of the disease. I know this has come at a great cost to the country’s economy and its people and we acknowledge the social and economic ramifications.”
She thanked healthcare professionals, civic leaders, manufacturing workers, civil servants, and all others in the Federation “who have worked tirelessly to respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic.”