PRIME MINISTER DR. DREW PLEDGES TO IMPROVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE NEVIS ISLAND ADMINISTRATION

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, October 07, 2022 (SKNIS) – Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew said that his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party-led Administration remains committed to the pledge made during the 2022 election campaign of improving the strained relationship between the Federal Government and the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).

Prime Minister Dr. Drew reiterated this stance when he appeared on Freedom FM’s Issues programme on Wednesday, October 05.

“I’ve said on the campaign trail…that we would do what we have to do to improve the relationship between St. Kitts and Nevis. Those were not mere words. Since I’ve gotten to the Office of the Prime Minister, I have made it my business to pursue that positive pathway,” said Prime Minister Dr. Drew.

Since assuming office, the honourable prime minister has met with the Premier of Nevis, the Honourable Mark Brantley on at least two separate occasions, with the initial meeting taking place on August 19.

“He would have brought a number of issues that he would have liked to be addressed or at least hoped to be worked on and we have done that, for example on the issue of geothermal. We have worked with him [Premier Brantley] on geothermal and we would see some positive movement there. That has been a big issue for years and we were able to solve that in a meeting and do what we had to do,” Dr. Drew said.

The prime minister explained that the free tuition for students attending Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC), starting with the 2022-23 Academic Year, also applies to students from Nevis.

On the matter of constitutional reform, the prime minister said, “I met with the premier today [October 05] and we discussed forming a committee and that committee would have the opportunity to discuss the Constitution because he and I are committed  to resolving the issues in the Constitution.”

Prime Minister Dr. Drew stated that it is his firm belief that Nevisians should have access to the same opportunities as their brothers and sisters on St. Kitts. He noted that while the Nevis Island Administration has its own mandate and responsibilities, “as far as the Federal Government is concerned Nevisians should be treated equally as Kittitians and we are pursuing that very vigorously.”

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