St Kitts – Nevis to continue advancing economy

BASSETERRE, St Kitts – The prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, along with six other cabinet members from his administration participated in their first press conference of the year on 18 January 2023.

The press conference is one of the methods that prime minister Drew’s administration will use to update citizens and residents on matters of national importance such as the 2022 Budget and the upcoming plans and budget for this year. St Kitts and Nevis government has reiterated several times how it wants to lead with transparency and integrity – ensuring that the twin-island Federation is kept abreast of the administration’s decision-making process and accomplishments during its tenure.

In his opening address, prime minister Drew, noted that the government of St Kitts and Nevis continues to work around the clock to fufill the pledges made during the 2022 election campaign.

“These pledges were based on seven foundational pillars including food security, energy transition, economic diversification, sustainable industries, creative econom, COVID-19 recovery and social protection.

“We made a pledge to govern with transparency, accountability and integrity and we intend to continue in that vein. We want to improve the quality of life and health of our people as these are the founding principles and remain the bedrock of our administration.” The prime minister continued: “We are committed to serve with the sole purpose that every policy, every plan and every project is undertaken for the betterment of all, our mission is to transform the lives of people by advancing our economy in a way that will provide greater social and economic opportunities.”

As the minister of health and social security, prime minister Drew unveiled three major developments to strengthen the quality of healthcare in St Kitts and Nevis. These are; Universal Health Care, Corporatization of the Joseph N. France General Hospital and strengthening the relations with third-party organizations.

Minister Drew asserted that Universal Health Care remains a priority for the government of St Kitts and Nevis and added that the government is geared to start Universal Health Care, which will go a long way in opening up access to quality healthcare for all Kittians and Nevisians.

The World Health Organisation has described Universal health coverage as a means for all people to have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship.

The second major development, the corporatization of the Joseph N. France General Hospital – a premier health institution in the country, is aimed to increase the hospital’s efficiency and allow for the proper management of the hospital’s affairs.

The prime minister noted that while Joseph N France General Hospital has its strengths and weaknesses, there is always room for improvement, and it is for this reason that the government has been working towards developing its tertiary and secondary healthcare.

He thanked healthcare workers who continue to work tirelessly to serve those in need and hailed the dedication and commitment of medical professionals who served day and night during the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic – an honorarium has been dedicated to them.

Talking about the challenges these workers face while performing their duties, including oppression and verbal abuse, the prime minister suggested hosting an open forum to communicate these issues.

The government of St Kitts and Nevis is also looking to recruit new doctors, nurses, technicians, therapists and technologists. Along with this, a principal nursing officer will be appointed, a position that has been vacant for the last seven years.

“Two lines of action are now ongoing; stabilization and transformation,” stated prime minister Drew as he expressed the requirements of new staff, new systems, a new culture of empathy and adequate resources.

The country’s eye clinic will receive new state-of-the-art equipment to the value of EC$700,000.00.

On the matter of strengthening relationships with third-party stakeholders, the prime minister added that St Kitts and Nevis is looking to revitalize relationships with the likes of CARPHA (the Caribbean Public Health Agency), PAHO (Pan American Health Organization), and several NGOs such as PALS (Pediatric Assistance League of St Kitts). 

Source: Government of St. Kitts and Nevis