St. Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew shares a message on the completion of the second anniversary of the victory of the St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party, polls held in the year 2022. In his message he highlighted the important initiatives their party took to develop the nation.
The National Political Leader of the St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party – Dr. Terrance Drew stated that as they all gather to commemorate the second anniversary of the historic victory on August 05, 2022. He expressed that he is filled with immense pride and gratitude for the steadfast support and dedication of each one of you.
The celebration is not just a reminder of the triumph at the polls, but a testament to the collective commitment to build a brighter future for St. Kitts and Nevis, striving for better with the St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party at the helm.
PM Drew mentioned the Late Glen ‘Ghost’ Phillip, former Minister of Government and the Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher-04, who passed away. He also mentioned that Phillip was affectionately known as ‘Ghost’ and was a pillar of strength and beacon of hope for the community.
Drew enlightened about his dedication towards the development of sports, especially basketball and his relentless efforts to uplift the youth of the nation, that will forever remain in their memories. During his tenure he also did great works to develop the nation.
Prime Minister reflected upon the journey so far, they covered in two years. He recalled the implementation of numerous transformative initiatives under the Independence RESET programme which was designed to bring the relief and stimulate economic growth.
During this period, the Labour Party injected the EC $45 million into the economy, with the Independence 40 Workers Bonus of EC $1000, that directly benefitted the hardworking citizens.
PM Drew highlighted that they have also addressed arrears in essential services, ensuring the immediate reconnection for the residential SKELEC and Water Services customers and eliminated penalties on National Housing Corporation mortgages.
Also, a critical RESET was for the interest payments on outstanding land balances. Those were reset to zero and to appropriate extensions which were provided for payment instalments.
In his message, Drew conveyed about the efforts to make homeownership more accessible through the Build and Thrive Incentive, that offered duty-free and reduced VAT on building materials for the first-time homeowners and renovators, who have been instrumental in supporting the citizens.
Furthermore, the federation has also reduced the interest rates on the residential lands and provided the generous waivers and hikes to ease the financial burden on new landowners.
Considering the economic measures, the Labour Party demonstrated the commitment to public service workers with an 8% salary increase for all civil servants and pensioners, effective from January 2024 and a 50% Christmas bonus in 2023.
The Federation have also increased the national minimum wage to $430 weekly, ensuring a fairer living standard for all workers. The landmark achievement of the administration is the operationalization of pensions for Government Auxiliary Employees (GAEs) and other monthly-paid government workers employed on or after May 2012.
The qualified retired GAEs received their pension payments, inclusive of back payments to January 2024. This initiative underlines the dedication to recognize and reward the contribution of all workers, especially those who have been historically overlooked.
Drew also mentioned that in healthcare sector, they have made the significant strides, including the deployment of four new triage officers at the JNF General Hospital, where they installed the new air conditioning units in the medical and surgical wards, restoration of hospital’s roof with support from the Republic of China (Taiwan) and upgraded the water system.
Renovation of the hospital lobby, funded by the Cable, commencement of construction on the MRI Building are critical steps towards enhancing the healthcare services.
He shared the vision for a climate-smart JNF General Hospital and the transformative Project Start, which established the first health city of the nation, and is progressing well.
He included about security benefits, economy thrive, job openings, recently happened crimes, and many other initiatives they have took to develop the nation.