POST-CABINET BRIEFING FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 2024

Basseterre, St. Kitts, January 16, 2024 (Cabinet Secretariat): Under the leadership of Prime Minister, The Honourable Dr Terrance Drew, the Cabinet Ministers convened on Monday, January 15th, 2024, in the first Cabinet meeting for the New Year and made essential decisions to enhance the well-being of our people.

Prior to the official commencement of the Cabinet Meeting, Bishop Cyprian Williams from the New Birth Gospel Tabernacle extended prayers for the safety, health, wisdom, integrity, and continued solidarity of Cabinet members as they diligently carry out their responsibilities on behalf of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The Honourable Chair and Prime Minister, Dr Drew, welcomed everyone with New Year wishes and acknowledged the safe and highly successful National Carnival activities. He praised the security forces for their outstanding efforts in ensuring the safety of the public throughout the holiday period. Additionally, the Cabinet extended its thanks to the citizens, residents, and visitors for their contribution in making Sugar Mas 52 a resounding success.

Moving forward, the Honourable Chair congratulated the Republic of China (Taiwan) on the recent successful execution of a free and fair democratic election. Heartfelt congratulations were extended to President-Elect Lai Ching-te of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), emphasizing the enduring friendship and collaboration between the two nations.

In a significant decision, the Cabinet approved St. Kitts and Nevis’ support for the implementation of the World Trade Organization’s Fisheries Subsidies Agreement. The agreement aims to prohibit subsidies applied to illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing, over-fished stocks, and fishing in the unregulated high seas. St. Kitts and Nevis, impacted by illegal access to our waters by distant water vessels, stands against harmful fisheries subsidies, aligning with the WTO’s efforts to curtail an estimated USD $22 billion of such subsidies. These subsidies, primarily benefiting large-scale industrial fishing by foreign fleets, contribute to illegal fishing, overfishing, and exploitation of unregulated high seas.

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