The Prime Minister of the island nation of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew has reaffirmed that the motto of of St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) “For the good that we can do” must remain forefront of every deliberation as well as each action, in pursuit of “Social justice for all” by all his 9-months old administration of SKNLP.
PM Drew highlighted several initiatives during the SKNLP 91st Anniversary Annual National Conference, that will going to benefit the people of St Kitts and Nevis and improve the quality of their lives.
PM Drew also mentioned that while keeping with one of the commitment made on campaign trail leading up to the general elections in August 2022, was payment of a dividend beginning in December 2022 from the proceeds from the CBI programme. PM Drew stated that it was for the very first time that a government in the Western hemisphere had came up with such an initiative.
At the same time, he made a reminder to the nation that his newly elected SKNLP Administration has made a fund for financing all the children who are requiring special medical attention overseas if it was not available in the St Kitts and Nevis and whose parents could not bear the expenses.
He shared that, “Children who would have died, are alive today just because our government was able to send them overseas for a life-saving surgical treatment. We have created the Children Medical Welfare Fund so that children are provided with the opportunity to live.”
While noting to the education as a human right within SKNLP, Dr Drew said that, “Our government has taken the decision within the first weeks of assuming office and also announced that tuition at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant will be free with immediate effect.”
He also added that the decision of the government to reduce the interest on student loans from the Development Bank of St Kitts and Nevis from 9% to 5%.
PM Drew said that, “Those who want to go on to the university have the least barriers to go. Those who go to study will have the interest frozen for four years and three months so that while one is away if your parents cannot afford it, they would not have to pay any interest as well as when you come back, the $15,000 which will have been accumulated would be deemed credit to you as well as is totally wiped off.”
PM added that, “The savings of over hundreds of dollars could be used for building wealth by investing in mortgage or starting a small business.”