Charlestown Nevis (April 19, 2006) Nevis’ cricketing icon, Mr. Runarko Morton returned to a festive setting at the Vance W Amory International Airport on Tuesday April 18, as the Nevis Island Administration, family and well-wishers welcomed him back to his homeland as their newest island hero.

Under the umbrella of the Ministry of Youth & Sports, a toasting ceremony was held at the VIP Lounge in his honour, as the most recent Nevisian to be selected on the West Indies Cricket Team and for his latest achievements during recently concluded tour to New Zealand .

His outstanding performance, won him a piece of the rock as Premier, the Hon Mr. Vance Amory presented him with the token of appreciation on behalf of the government and people of Nevis .

The Nevisian leader, who shared in the toasting of Runarko’s achievement said, “It is a great honour for me to raise a toast to our newest Nevisian hero and Ambassador, Mr. Runarko Morton.”

He called on the gathering to recognise those past Nevisians (who made the West Indies team) who have paved the way for Mr. Morton, noting that the Administration was always supportive of cricket on the island as far as the resources could take it.

 “A model of choice for our young people, a story of triumph through adversity,” said Junior Minister of Sports, the Hon Mr. Laughton Brandy as he expressed his appreciation to Mr. Morton.  “This is indeed a momentous occasion for Nevis because little Nevis has done it again.

“We have produced another Test Cricketer, Runarko, being the 5^th test cricketer and 6^th one day cricketer to represent the West Indies team.  When I consider that St. Vincent in its history has only produce 4, Grenada manage 2, Dominica 3, St. Kitts and St. Lucia have not yet move off the mark, I say hats off to Nevis.  I’m indeed proud of my little island Nevis ,” said the Junior Minister of Sports.

Mr. Morton, known to many as “Ronnie” was born on July 22, 1978 and according to the Chairman, Mr. Gary Pemberton, “grew up in an area where breadfruit form a major part of his diet.  No wonder empires and bowlers are fearful of his powerful straight drive.”

“He has defied all odds and has proven that even thou he is from the tiny island of Nevis as so often referred to, he demonstrated that his strength and character are his greatest assets. It is no coincidence that you top the batting averages in the recently concluded test and one day series,” said Mr. Pemberton.

Runarko’s Test series has an average of 70 while his One-Day International series has an average of 57.25. His overall Test average from just four matches is 32.16 with 70 not out in the final test in the recently concluded series against New Zealand . He also have an average of 38.90 after 12 One-Day Internationals matches scoring an all time high of 110 not out.

President of the Nevis Cricket Association, Mr. Oscar Walters, who also gave a toast to Mr. Morton said, “Runarko has gone through the test of time both on the field and off the field and his performance and success have proved to us and the young sportsmen and sportswomen, that dedication, discipline and commitment brings success.”

An elated Morton in respond to the accolades he received expressed gratitude on his own behalf and that of his family and relatives.  He was accompanied by his wife and his daughter.

The ceremony was also graced with the presence of Ministers of Government and other government officials, cricket enthusiasts as well as one of his physicians, Dr. Banks.  Father Ernest Flemming bestowed the blessing on the occasion while Mr. Leroy Parris not only rendered the Nation Anthem on his steel pan but entertained the gathering.

PM Douglas congratulates Kittitian, Rosalind Nicholas-Hill, on her 107^th birthday

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 7^TH 2007 (CUOPM)   A Kittitian who recently celebrated her 107^th Birthday in New York, was congratulated on Friday by St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.

Rosalind Nicholas-Hill was born in the village of Estridge on St. Kitts on March 30^th 1899.

I want to thank you and congratulate you for long life and it seems as though it is quality long life, said Prime Minister Douglas on behalf of the Government and People of St. Kitts and Nevis via the telephone.

Responding in a very strong voice, Mrs. Hill said: Thank you very, very much.

Dr. Douglas said the Federation will pray that God will continue to bless you and commended those who have been assisting you, keeping you in good health and looking after your welfare.

Prime Minister Douglas promised to visit Mrs. Hill the next time he is in New York.

Kindness to everyone, said Mrs. Hill when asked for the ingredient of her longevity by Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Erasmus Williams. 

I loved St. Kitts though and I think it is a very beautiful place, said Mrs. Hill, who last visited her homeland in 1990, when she was 91 years.

Mrs. Hill is a resident at the Elmhurst Care Center, in Queens, New York. On her 107th birthday on March 30^th 2006, her son, Bradford Jr. and other family members and many of the 240 residents, danced to the rhythms of calypso and salsa in celebration of her milestone.

Among them was St. Kitts and Nevis Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, His Excellency, Dr. Joseph Christmas.

Dr. Christmas presented a plaque on behalf of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and warmly praised Mrs. Hill for her youthfulness and relatively good health, despite her age.

He told her, The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis joins in celebrating your 107th birthday and hopes that you would live to see many more.

Dr. Christmas also told her that her secret of success in living to a full, ripe age of 107 should be shared with the world.

Rosalind Nicholas-Hill was the youngest daughter of Alfred and Anna Nicholas and was born on March 30, 1899, in St. Kitts, in the Village of Estridge.

Alfred A. Nicholas, her father was a schoolmaster in Estridge, St. Kitts and in Nevis. He served as Church Organist and Choirmaster at the Moravian Church in Estridge. Her mother, Anna Moor Tucker and her father were both born in Antigua, where they met and married.

They then decided to make St. Kitts their permanent home and gave birth to six girls: Mildred, Hillie, Edith, Gweneth, Vida and Rosalind, who were all born in St. Kitts.

As a child, Rosalind was always ready to help and serve others. At 12, she would always read the Bible to the elderly and sick in their homes. Upon her later years, at age 18, in 1917, she started teaching school as an assistant teacher at Middle Island for two years, then, left to continue teaching for 18 months in Cedar Hall, Antigua, where she met a family friend, Bradford Hill, who worked at the dispensary in St. Johns, Antigua.

She returned to St. Kitts, after learning her five sisters had left for America and stayed to help her father since her mother had passed away when they were young. Upon her father acquiring a housekeeper to maintain his home, in 1923, she went to America and joined  her sisters.

Upon settling in New York City, she once again came into contact with her family friend, whom she met while teaching in Antigua. Soon after, they were engaged, and in 1924, they got married and gave birth to two children, a daughter named Hazel, born in 1926, and a son, Bradford, born in 1928.  Hazel died one month ago.

She came back to St. Kitts in 1929 with her 2 children, to show her father his 2 grandchildren, and stayed here for 2 years, before returning to the United States.

Through the years, Rosalind and her husband saved enough money to buy a grocery store, located on 147th and St. Nicholas Avenue, and years later, in 1943, bought a brownstone (home) at 144th Street and continued to invest in Real Estate and made it possible for her immediate family, and grandchildren to do the same. In 1990, she returned to St. Kitts to visit once again with her daughter, her granddaughter, and two great grandchildren for a two-week vacation.

Now at 107, she continues to help others and make contributions.  Today, she has six grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and six great, great, grandchildren.

St. Kitts and Nevis is best equipped to handle challenge of  Cricket World Cup 2007

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 5^TH 2006 (CUOPM)   As the debate over the ability of the Caribbean region to pull off hosting the International Cricket Council  Cricket World Cup in 2007 reaches the United States, the Los Angeles Times reports that St. Kitts and Nevis, which will host first round matches and the group with defending World Cup champion, Australia, has been deemed as one of the best equipped to handle the challenge.

The smallest of the host countries is St. Kitts and Nevis, with about 45,000 residents. Nonetheless it is better positioned to deal with the cricket event than other islands because of its existing high-end accommodations, said the report.

The story written by Dorian Bryan in the Los Angeles Times says that Trinidad and Tobago, flush with oil and gas revenue, is behind in its construction projects, but reportedly ready to step up the pace and spending.

In the story on the movement in the region to get ready to host crickets biggest tournament, the suggestion was made that the Caribbean will struggle to complete preparations in time.

The article looks at the state of preparations in Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago, with reference to the work which is ongoing in the other Host Venues. The cost of the overall project was questioned with the lament raised that the Governments of the region had failed to indicate the full cost of World Cup spending.

National organising committee officials predict tourism increases from the event, not just from the 100,000 fans expected to travel to the islands specifically for cricket, but also from visitors over the long term as the venues tropical splendour is showcased for the sports estimated 2.2 billion television viewers, the article added.

It also stated that the region faced the prospect of exaggerated and systematic delays, cost overruns, labour disputes and corruption scandals which are simultaneously threatening global embarrassment and political disaster.

Venue Development Director of ICC CWC WI 2007 Inc, Donald Lockerbie, the report added, stressed that he was confident all 12 new stadiums and 20 major upgrades will be completed by the Oct. 31 deadline.

Each nation will have a competition pitch along with practice fields for the 16 teams in the tournament, which is held every four years.

There are stadiums that are several weeks behind at this point. Grenadas is one for sure. I would think that if any country failed at the Cricket World Cup that the government would collapse, and no one would want to see that happen, Venue Development Director at ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, Donald Lockerbie was quoted as saying.

Concern was also raised about the ability of the region to recapture some of the major investment which it was making.

American Airlines 757 to touch down on Saturday at Robert Bradshaw Airport

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 5^TH 2006 (CUOPM) St. Kitts Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport makes history on Saturday when an American Airlines 757 touches down direct from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.

American Airlines St. Kitts Manager, Mr. Hugh Mallalieu told the Communications Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister that the 757, which carries 188 passengers 22 First Class and 166 Economy in seats arrives here on a charter with guests for the St. Kitts Marriott Resort and the Royal Beach Casino.

This is the first time that an American Airlines 757 lands in St. Kitts. It will arrive from Dallas-Forth Worth, just as the scheduled Miami flights departs, said Mallalieu, adding: This (757) is the type of aircraft we hope to upgrade to on a scheduled service prior to World Cup in 2007.

American Airlines operates a 737 aircraft, which carries 148 passengers on the scheduled five times weekly service into the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport from Miami. American Eagle also operates daily flights from the San Juan International Airport in Puerto Rico.

St. Kitts,  PM Douglas highlights high-end tourism policy

 BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 4^TH 2006 (CUOPM) The tourism policy of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Administration continues to bring dividends to the people and the of the twin-island Federation.

The St. Kitts Marriott Resort and the Royal Beach Casino has just ended hosting 1200 top achievers of the Citizens Financial Group (Citizens Bank) the 8th largest commercial bank holding in the United States, with assets of US$155 billion.

The banks World Class Performers, is the single largest corporate incentive group to visit St. Kitts and the Marriott Hotel.

In welcoming the bankers from the 13 American states where Citizens Financial Group has branches, St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, described the Federation as one of the still undiscovered paradises in the Caribbean.

Dr. Douglas pointed out during a reception at the Golf Club House on Saturday, that choosing St. Kitts as their destination of choice, highlights the importance of high-end tourism to the people and the tourism industry and the national economy of St. Kitts and Nevis.

We have taken a specific decision to transit out of sugar into hospitality services, specifically led by tourism. We also consider ourselves to be a very important destination for the international financial services sector and also for information communication technology services.  But spearheading this new transformed economy that I speak about, is the tourism sector, said Prime Minister Douglas in an address to the hundreds of Citizens Financial Group officials.

You in fact, as you heard you are the single largest incentive group to have visited our islands.  You have been able to allow us to see what high-end tourism can mean for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis and that is why I hope that you have been able to enjoy the warm hospitality of our people, the  cultural cuisine, the friendliness, the historical sites and the natural beauty of our country, said Prime Minister Douglas, who told the group it is as a result of their presence of large groups from the high end of the tourism market, why his government was confident that St. Kitts and Nevis can successfully transform from a sugar agricultural-based economy to one that is new, dynamic and flourishing with tourism. 

Dr. Douglas expressed two concerns in the process of transformation of the economy from sugar-agriculture to tourism.

One, that we do it slowly and nicely, so that we can learn from the experiences that naturally would accrue, as we move through this period of transition. Secondly, were not going for mass tourism. We prefer high-end tourism, attracting hoteliers that have invested in the Marriott, the Four Seasons in Nevis, the Ritz-Carlton that will come within the next two years to our shores, the Mandarin Hotel; these are some of the brand names of the highest quality that we would wish to attract to St. Kitts and Nevis, said Prime Minister Douglas.

He expressed the hope that the 1200 World Class Performers enjoyed their four-day-five nights stay on St. Kitts and used the opportunity of the presence of the bankers to consider the Federations Investment Citizenship Programme.

Those of you who have been impressed with the hospitality of our people and the natural beauty of these two islands, I say to you that there is a particular way that you can become a permanently part of us. We have an Investment Citizenship Programme. Those of you who are able to invest more than US$200,000 in property or in bonds, you can, not only have a permanent stay in this beautiful country, but you can also be a proud citizen of this Paradise, said Prime Minister Douglas.

Dr. Douglas thanked the Chief Executive Officer of the World Class Performers Group, Mr. Larry Fish for bringing the group to St. Kitts and Nevis.

He specifically mentioned Sunlinc Limited General Manager, Ms. Giselle Matthews for the tremendous work in partnering with the government and partnering with the World Class Performers group.

You are here to enjoy yourselves, youre able to relax, youre able to enjoy the necessary incentives that will make you successful in your corporate life, and at the same time, we here in St. Kitts and Nevis, have been given the opportunity to show what high-end tourism can mean for our people and for the rest of the world. God bless you and continue to have a fantastic time here in St. Kitts  and Nevis, concluded Prime Minister Douglas to the tumultuous applause from the 1200 bankers.

St. Kitts Foundation Act reaping benefits says Marketing Director

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 4^TH 2006 (CUOPM) St. Kitts has begun to reap the benefits of the Foundation Act, passed by the National Assembly in 2003.

Director of Marketing and Development in the St. Kitts Financial Services sector is Ms. Shawna Lake said registration began in late 2004 and there are currently 153 foundations listed in the registry.

According to Mondaq one of the largest and most comprehensive electronic resources of professionals knowledge and expertise that publishes legal, regulatory and financial commentary and information to the business community at large and which is supplied by leading professional advisors around the world, St. Kitts is an emerging superstar with brightly shining, very favourable asset protection legislation.

Ms. Lake said the Foundations actually have being doing very well as St. Kitts was one of the first common law Caribbean jurisdictions to pass Foundations legislation.

Foundations are actually a civil law entity or creature and the equivalent of the foundation in a common law jurisdiction is usually the trust, where someone holds property, the legal title to property in trust for a beneficiary.

With foundations, the foundation itself is a separate legal entity, which is governed by councillors, almost like a board of directors of a company, and the foundation actually holds the legal title of property and manages the property which is vested in the foundation by the founder (who is the equivalent of the settlor in a trust) for and on behalf of the named beneficiaries of the foundation.  So the founder is able to actually participate and have more involvement in how the asset is managed on behalf of beneficiaries, said Lake, who added that a number of persons from civil jurisdictions prefer to use foundations because they dont understand the trust concept because youre really putting your trust in someone by passing legal title to your property to a particular person or institution to manage for your named beneficiary and you hope and pray that theyll do a good job of it.

Ms. Lake said that the Foundation is a more structured and organised way of managing that asset for and on behalf of beneficiaries with the founder being able to maintain some measure of control. 

We have quite a number of European in general and Swiss clients in particular who have formed foundations.  With 153 foundations on our registry now, I think weve done very well so far and weve been doing more marketing in civil law jurisdictions to promote our foundations, because weve seen that there is a thirst for it now as persons in civil law jurisdictions are becoming more aware of the international financial services that are available.

Successful career hotelier now at the helm of St. Kitts Marriott Resort

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 4^TH 2006 (CUOPM)   A career hotelier with a track record of success at several brand name hotels, is now at the helm of the St Kitts Marriott Resort & the Royal Beach Casino.

Cuban-born George Landa, boasts almost thirty (30) years of experience in the hospitality industry, with (12) twelve years as a General Manager, including his most recent role at the Curacao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino for the past three and half years.

He led the Curacao Resort team in reaching the highest guest and associate satisfaction in the Caribbean and the highest financial revenue and profit results in the history of the resort.

Mr. Landa, who was introduced to St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas in January, has a passion for local youth education and the community and has spearheaded the first Bachelor programme for hospitality in the University of Curacao sponsored by The Hague Hospitality School of Management, adopting and restoring public schools in popular low income neighbourhoods through volunteer and local business partnerships.

He has also participated in charity events, such as American Women Club Fundraising Dinners for numerous local needy organisations and assisted in his drive to create corporate leadership partnership events with government to these critical community needs.

The Curacao Marriott under Mr. Landas direction received the 2004 Human Resources Award for the Job Certification Programme, which has since been adopted by all other Marriott hotels in the region.

With Mr. Landa guiding the team to excellence, the resort achieved leading Sales Team awards of the Year for the Region in 2004 and 2005.

Prior to going to Curacao, Mr. Landa was General Manager of the Intercontinental Hotel in Valencia, Venezuela, where he again achieved highest associate, guest and financial results in the 32-year history of the Hotel, winning numerous General Manger awards and the key to the city for his dedication to the community and development of Tourism Industry.

Mr. Landa has previously managed brand Hotels such as Hilton, Embassy Suites and Holiday Inn in several major US cities.

Mr. Landa is joined by his wife  Maria Landa.

St. Kitts and Nevis looks forward to improved relations with Spain

  BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 4^TH 2006 (CUOPM) The Federations exit from sugar production and the need for support and technical assistance to address the challenges it brings and support from members of the European Union are issues being discussed when Spains Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis meets with government officials.

The Jamaica-based Spanish diplomat, His Excellency Jesus Silva presented his credentials Tuesday morning to Governor General His Excellency Dr. Sir Cuthbert Sebastian before starting his round of engagements with St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, the Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.

Spain is said to be the number one investor in Jamaica in 2006 and the prospects for such activity being extended to the Federation is also expected to be discussed during the talks expected to lead to stronger bilateral relations.

Revitalising scholarship opportunities especially in the areas of diplomacy, protocol and international relations and an invitation on the part of the Spanish President, His Excellency Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, to meet with CARICOM Member Heads of Government and the Secretary General at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid on May 10, 2006 are also matters for discussion.

The meeting is slated for the eve of the EU-LAC Summit schedule for Vienna on the 11th May, 2006.

Ambassador Silva will also meet with the Premier of Nevis, Hon. Vance Amory; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris; Deputy Governor General, His Hon. Eustace John; Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador of Venezuela, Her Excellency Myriam Troconiz Luzardo; Vice President of the Chamber of Industry of Commerce, Mr. Gary Da Silva and the Permanent Secretaries in the Ministries of Public Works, Education and Tourism.

Barbados to name honorary consuls in the Caribbean including St. Kitts and Nevis

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MARCH 31^ST 2006 (CUOPM)   Barbados may soon appoint an Honorary Consul in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

That countrys Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dame Billie Miller in addressing a workshop for consuls in the Caribbean said to her Ministry was also looking to appoint honorary consuls in Belize, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Dominican Republic.

She said it was important for Barbados honorary consuls to have access to the business world in their jurisdictions, so they can help to promote the islands profile.

It was the first time consuls were together as a group, and also in attendance were ambassadors to Barbados, and members of the diplomatic corps.

It does not mean that you still do not have that function which is traditional, but there is a new perspective which comes to the work of honorary consuls and it is the job of Government to facilitate this. You must be our extended arm. You have a more direct line to capital, Dame Billie said.

Referring to Cricket World Cup 2007, she said it was the first large undertaking in business.

Since 1994, her ministry has expanded the Barbados network of honorary consuls. There are now ten missions abroad, with three in Europe and others in North America, and the ministry hoped to extend to Latin America.

However, no resident mission in the Caribbean has been established to replace the one which previously functioned in Trinidad and Tobago.

Barbados has 11 honorary consuls in The Bahamas (longest serving from 1982), Antigua and Barbuda, Cayman Islands, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, St. Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica are the only other Caribbean nations with honorary consuls in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Steady progress reported in financial services sector, ship registry successful

  BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MARCH 31^ST 2006 (CUOPM) - St. Kitts is making steady progress in the financial services sector, Director of the Marketing and Development Department, Ms. Shawna Lake said Thursday.

Since 2001 many things have happened. In 2000 we were placed on the FATF Black List and on the OECD Blacklist for Harmful Tax Competition and this was actually unfortunate for St. Kitts and Nevis, because in St. Kitts, we had only just a few years before launched our financial services sector with the passing of our Companies Act, Limited Partnerships Act and our Trusts Act, she said.

Ms. Lake said that that during 2001 to the middle of 2002, the Department basically had to refocus all of its attention on working with the Taskforce that was dealing with developing new legislation and regulations to get the Federation off the Blacklist.

We werent able to focus on dealing with any new products for our market and much promotion and marketing, because we were finding that we werent able to market in an environment where people were under the misconception that once they placed money in a Blacklisted jurisdiction or made investments in a Blacklisted jurisdiction that their money was automatically tarnished, so that was one of the issues that we had, she said.

Ms. Lake noted that since removal from the Blacklists in 2002, the St. Kitts Financial Services Sector began developing new products, doing more market research and doing more marketing as well.

So with regard to our Companys legislation which is the main product that we have as an international financial center, in 2003 which was the first set of statistics that we as a department started keeping for the sector to monitor the growth, said Ms. Lake.

The Director of Marketing and Development said St. Kitts had registered 1001 companies on the register and as of 31^st December 2005 we had 1680 companies which is a big improvement although its a modest improvement probably compared to other jurisdictions that receive hundreds of company formation applications per month.

We have had steady growth in the area and St. Kitts has always tried to promote real investment and not just companies that are shell companies or companies that are formed without any real presence per say.  So I think thats one of the things that we have tried to promote for our jurisdiction; that we want sound investments, we want providers who are properly licensed, that are credible, who have no issues with criminal activities, etc., said Ms. Lake.

She said that persons applying to be a provider in St. Kitts, particularly persons who are not from the jurisdiction, has to undergo background checks to ensure that there are no issues in their past business dealings.

So weve had steady but modest growth in that area and there are a few developments that I believe are going to enhance the number of companies that are being formed in St. Kitts, said Ms. Lake.

Commenting on the introduction of the St. Kitts International Ship registry back in 2004, Ms. Lake said over 150 ships have been registered since registration began in early 2005. 

This is very formidable for a very small registry like ours and we are now having ships applying for mortgages etc, so banking institutions in various jurisdictions are now recognising us as a credible and established jurisdiction to register ships, she said.

Now in our legislation if ships are owned by local companies they are able to get on to our register and there are also additional incentives provided for ships owned my local companies e.g. there are discounts on the registration fees on the ship register, said Lake.

She disclosed that St. Kitts and Nevis International Ship Registry, which operates out of London, England  is a tactical decision that was made because of time zone issues and because of the access to more facilities necessary for the shipping industry.

However the local aspect of the registry is being handled domestically and right now the Maritime Division is trying very hard to encourage more of our vessels to register on our local register, said Ms. Lake and efforts will now be made to attract more locally-operated vessels to be registered with the St. Kitts and Nevis International Ship Registry.

One of the things that has discouraged the local vessels from registering on the domestic registry is the fact that many vessels coming here and flying foreign flags, are not required to pay duty to enter the Federation and I think there is a fear that once local vessels are registered on our registry, they are going to be required to pay duty, particularly so for the larger vessels.  So this has been one of the issues brought to the forefront when we tried to make a push for more of our domestic vessels to be registered and thats something we are still working on, said the financial services official.

She said programmes and discussions are ongoing to encourage local vessels to fly the St. Kitts and Nevis flag, which would be the preferred route.  However, we do have vessels from neighboring islands now registering on our registry, so I think that is a move in the right direction and I think in time we will see more of our larger vessels domestically being registered on our registry, said Ms. Lake.

Current cement crisis did not just creep up on the region,  says St. Kitts official

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MARCH 29^TH 2006 (CUOPM) Director of Physical Planning and Environment, Ellis Hazel says the current cement crisis in the Caribbean did not just creep up on the region.

I think the Guyanese government probably in 2004, would have done that because the cement crisis didnt just creep up on us.  It was showing signs that we would have a crisis, especially leading up to World Cup 2007, and so that is one imitative that is taking place at the regional level, Hazel told the Communications Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Appearing on the radio and television programme National Echo on Monday, Hazel said a number of the private sector bodies in the Caribbean have approached the CARICOM Secretariat for the green light to go ahead to and import cement from non-CARICOM producing states. 

He said there are a number of issues are being looked at to try and avoid a serious fall out from the cement shortage that is presently wreaking havoc on the building sectors within the Caribbean.

One local investor is looking at the opportunity to install a bulk cement facility so that we can bring in cement in St. Kitts in bulk shipment and have a critical storage of that cement available to service the building sector in St. Kitts, in Nevis and within the neighboring islands, said Hazel.

That is proposal that is being actively reviewed by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and is that the investors are actively pursuing this, said Hazel, declining to give specifics at this time.

I would want to give the investor and the decision makers in government the opportunity to make that announcement once the time is right, he added.