Author: SKNISEditor

Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 15, 2023 (SKNIS): The Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) in St. Kitts and Nevis will transition and evolve into the Livelihood Improvement for Family Transformation (LIFT) programme. The upgrade, slated for 2024, is a direct response to the need to offer opportunities to genuinely empower beneficiaries, while addressing the numerous anomalies that plagued the Poverty Alleviation Programme [PAP] cash transfer system since it was established in 2018. The announcement of LIFT was made by Senator and Minister of State responsible for social development, the Honourable Isalean Phillip, while contributing to the 2024 Budget Debate on December 14,…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 15, 2023 (SKNIS): The Ministry of Social Development and Gender Affairs will expand its online application and payment processes in 2024, as it seeks to improve efficiency in meeting the needs of the public. During the 2024 Budget Debate on December 14, 2023, Senator and Minister of State, the Honourable Isalean Phillip, said that the rollout of new digital processes is based on the success of the online 2022 reregistration for the Poverty Alleviation Programme and the 2023 Back-to-School Voucher Programme. “In keeping with our thrust to improve system efficiencies, the Ministry of Social Development and…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 15, 2023 (SKNIS): During the 2024 Budget Debate in the National Assembly on December 14, 2023, Senator, the Honourable Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action, and Constituency Empowerment, outlined a transformative vision for St. Kitts and Nevis, emphasizing sustainable development and social equity. “St. Kitts and Nevis is at the vanguard of regional progress and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to people. This is largely due to a multi-dimensional approach to poverty alleviation by a comprehensive mapping of vulnerability and expanding economic opportunities for the poorest amongst us,” said Dr. Clarke. A…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 15, 2023 (SKNIS): Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, during the second day of the 2024 Budget Debate on Friday, December 15, 2023, announced the renaming of two schools in St. Kitts and Nevis as a tribute to prominent figures in education and leadership. In 2024, the Irish Town Primary School will be renamed the Halliday-Smith Primary School, in honour of former principal Maize Halliday and education stalwart Sylvia Smith – who, at 92, continues to contribute to the education sector. As outlined by Dr. Hanley, this change comes as a…

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, December 15, 2023 (SKNIS) – While the Ministry of Agriculture is aggressively pursuing strategies and initiatives geared at boosting agricultural output in St. Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Samal Duggins said greater attention must also be placed on preventing or limiting post production losses. “It is believed, Madam Speaker, that we lose about sixty percent (60%) of what we produce post-harvest. By any measure, that is a significant figure and so if we want to achieve our agenda [of attaining the CARICOM 25 by 2025 goal], we must tackle this area,” Minister Duggins said, while lending his…

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, December 15, 2023 (SKNIS) – Attaining food security is one of the key pillars of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis’ Sustainable Island State Agenda. In this regard, the Ministry of Agriculture has embarked on several ambitious and innovative projects aimed at reducing the Federation’s large food import bill by assisting local farmers to significantly increase production. One such measure that holds great potential in achieving this goal is the establishment of Greenhouse Villages across St. Kitts and Nevis. Work on the first such village in the Brothersons Estate region near Newton Ground is already underway.…

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, 14 December 2023 – Minister of Environment, Climate Action et al, HonDr Joyelle Clarke welcomed Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Honourable StevenGuilbeault to the St. Kitts and Nevis Pavilion at the UN Climate Conference in Dubai on 5 December2023. This meeting aimed to cement the growing relationship between both countries, building on months ofstrategic outreach to Canada, through active participation in the UN Conference of the Parties onBiodiversity in Montreal in December 2022 and the Ministerial on Nature in Vancouver in August 2023.The bilateral encounter resulted in St. Kitts and Nevis joining the Canada-lead,…

Migration: a solution, not a problemBy Michele Klein Solomon, IOM regional director for Central America, North America and the Caribbean It is common knowledge that social, political, economic and environmental challenges in Latin Americaand the Caribbean push people to migrate. However, it is less well known that the potential of migrationitself can serve to address these same challenges collectively and constructively. Migration should not beseen as a problem, nor as a simple movement of people: Migration is a powerful force that can drive thedevelopment of societies and economies, and Central America, North America and Caribbean is proof ofit. Migration is…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 14, 2023 (SKNIS): Female residents at His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) in St. Kitts and Nevis are enjoying unprecedented levels of liberty that permit them to leave the four walls of the correctional facility as part of the rehabilitative programme. Unlike their male counterparts, females were not allowed to leave the prison compound to participate in rehabilitation activities. Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew described the restrictions as “archaic” and pledged to work with partners to overhaul the policy as it stood in contrast to the government’s commitment to the principles…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 14, 2023 (SKNIS): Senator, the Honourable Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment, has reinforced the government’s commitment to a cleaner St. Kitts and Nevis during the first day of the 2024 Budget Debate on December 14, 2023, in the National Assembly. This pledge is the driving force behind the government’s Community Cleanse initiative. It entails residents placing their bulky waste items next to their garbage bins on their regular garbage collection days. Special trucks will follow the usual collection routes to pick up this bulky waste, in addition to…