Tuesday, 25th October 2022
Protocol
Honourable Members of Parliament, Members of the Diplomatic and Business Community, citizens and residents, a pleasant good morning to you.
Permit me at the start to extend sincere condolences to the family and former co-workers of the late Calvin Edwards who worked as our budget director for the better part of 35 years in the Ministry of Finance. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
1. Introduction
Today registers an epic moment in the history of our nation and I am particularly honoured to be part of this occasion that ushers in an era of new beginnings. The opening of this parliament is convened at a time when global leadership has been challenged to take a long and hard look at changing course to embrace and pursue that vision for action that brings hope to the world’s people. This is a significant milestone that we celebrate today since the people of St. Kitts and Nevis determined with no uncertainty that there is a better way forward with the newly elected St. Kitts Nevis Labour Administration at the helm of Government.
I am pleased to present to the nation an overview of the socio-economic agenda of our Government which I am confident will substantially transform the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis over the next five (5) years. Indeed, a new day has dawned here in the Federation with our Government’s dynamic vision for developing this country into a model sustainable island state. This vision is rooted in the long-standing, inspirational, tried, tested and true motto of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party, “For the good that we can do”. Successive Labour Administrations have done well for this country and your new Labour Government pledges to deliver on its mandate to build a better St. Kitts and Nevis working in the best interest and for the benefit of every citizen and resident.
Our Government is cognizant that our country is faced with a number of challenges at this time. Our team of energetic Ministers and technicians is already hard at work to ensure that our country not only confronts these challenges but also finds solutions and responds to them in a way that the interests of our people remain the central focus. Our Government firmly believes that there are opportunities for our country to continue to develop. Despite the adversities and hardships of the past two years, our Government believes that our country has the capacity to recover from the challenges brought on by the pandemic and more recently the Russia – Ukraine conflict. Since their resounding mandate at the polls, our Government has been engaging citizens and residents of all walks of life, the business community and civil society and there is a consensus that there is a better pathway for building a resilient St. Kitts and Nevis. Our Government is therefore prepared to seize the opportunities that are emerging to push forward in creating a thriving, resilient and sustainable economy, thus moving St. Kitts and Nevis back to the position of number one in the Caribbean. All of the Government Ministers, elected and appointed, fully understand and subscribe to a strong code of ethics and integrity. Our Government is also determined to restore the principles of a strong democracy by upholding the rule of law as we chart a better way forward for our nation.
Our Government is equally cognisant of the seamlessness between safety and security and the implementation of all aspects of development. Safety and security must be given priority as a fundamental constitutional provision in protecting the rights of our citizens. It must equally serve as a prerequisite for creating the enabling environment for delivering on the successful outcome of the diverse initiatives that have been identified to advance the nation’s development agenda. In light of this, our Government will rethink the stereotypical conception of security in implementing effective ways in crime prevention and detection, using modern technology to strengthen the security apparatus in crime fighting and crime detection. We will undertake an audit of the capabilities of our present security forces and commit to exploring all available options of forging meaningful partnerships with regional and international agencies to improve the nation’s security mechanism. Our Government will build on the initial outreach with the security forces and will continue its engagement to address the issues that have undermined the morale, working conditions and professionalism of the men and women whose service is vital to creating the enabling environment for effective delivery of our strategies to build back better in the post pandemic era.
Our Government’s human rights agenda is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that seek to reduce widening inequalities and promote economic growth and poverty eradication with a view towards attaining productive employment opportunities and decent work for our men and women folk.
The new Labour Government, therefore, invites all citizens and residents to look at our country’s development prospects through the lens of a model sustainable island state. We would quickly realize that there is indeed a better way to achieve social cohesion and protection, economic transformation and good governance. For the next five (5) years, our Government will focus on transforming our economy into one that is diversified and resilient. Our Government will explore and seize the opportunities that are available from the development of the digital, green, blue and orange economies. Emphasis will be placed on building a society with more equity, fostering love and harmony amongst all our people and maintaining peace, justice and liberty for all. For far too long, issues of inequality and inequity have been allowed to persist without adequately tackling the root causes of the imbalances in our society. A core element of the vision of this Labour Government is to create a society with more equity and balance. We intend to make serious inroads into the reduction of poverty across the Federation. Education will be used to lift families from the clutches of poverty and jobs will be created to provide meaningful employment for all persons desiring to work, particularly the youth who at this time find it the most challenging to find decent work. The policies of our Government will reflect the needs of the various groups that make up our society. No one will be left behind. Policies will be developed using different modalities to encourage strong citizen engagement and to build a culture of consultation with the people on all important issues of social and economic development here in St. Kitts and Nevis.
We know that our people are not interested in handouts or charity. They want jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities that would allow them to live with dignity and pride. That is why we are strongly committed to the implementation of programmes that will stimulate economic activity, facilitate the establishment and growth of business enterprises and create jobs in abundance for our workers. Not just any job, but jobs with remuneration well above the new increased minimum wage that we intend to put in place after due consultation with our workers and employers. We will also intervene through appropriate policies and regulations to keep the cost of living within the reach of our people.
An integral part of our vision of a model sustainable island state is diversity and equality, especially at the leadership level. Our Government has already signaled, by its appointments made since taking office, its intention to position more young people and women at the leadership table. Our Government is the youngest government in the history of our nation and has already created history of its own with three (3) female ministers in the cabinet for the first time. And now today with both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker being women we are, for the first time in our history witnessing the most women ever in our parliament. We say congratulations to our young people and our women and add “to whom much is given much is expected”.
Life will be better!
Moving Beyond COVID-19 to Develop a Sustainable Island State
This new Labour Government is committed to improving the lives and livelihoods of the citizenry by proactively putting in place mitigating measures that will assist in minimizing the hardships and obvious setbacks experienced by our people over the past seven (7) years. We are all saddened by the deaths that occurred here in the Federation during the pandemic. We believe that one life lost is one too many as every life is precious. We offer sincere condolences to the many family members and friends who must now continue life without the companionship and support of their loved ones.
We know that the pandemic affected many persons across the Federation in a negative way, severely impacting health, lifestyles and livelihoods. That is why, immediately upon taking office, our Government set the wheels in motion to ease the heavy burden of some of our most vulnerable citizens and residents. Our Government moved swiftly to make good on its promise to those workers who lost their jobs because they chose not to take the COVID-19 vaccine. A gratuitous payment has since been made to all such workers who registered their termination notice with the Labour Department. Further, a few days ago, our Government delivered again on a promise to pay an honorarium as a show of appreciation and an acknowledgement of the sacrifices made by over 2000 hardworking public servants who contributed to the national response to the dangerous threat of the COVID-19 pandemic even at the risk of losing their own lives. We fully recognize that no amount of money can fully compensate our hardworking and dedicated public officers, but this will go a long way in helping to repair the damage caused by the implementation of a poorly conceived policy which showed tangible appreciation for the work of a select few. We believe that our transparent approach to this issue is a concrete example of a better way for determining Government policy going forward.
You will recall that in the recently held general elections the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party ran on a platform of seven pillars to stabilize the economy and improve the quality of life for our people. My Government will therefore craft its strategic plans to incorporate the elements of the seven pillars and prioritize the design and implementation of policies and programmes targeted at creating jobs, reducing the high cost of living, enhancing economic growth, promoting social protection including better healthcare and education, improving access to water, protecting our environment, boosting food security, and promoting good governance.
A Better Way for Economic Management and Development
Our Government’s vision for developing a model sustainable island state is premised on a partnership between the Government and the people. It is therefore absolutely necessary for the Public Sector, private enterprises, big and small, and Civil Society to work together to achieve success. When this country exited the Sugar Industry in 2005, the Labour Government at that time gave a firm commitment that it would pursue a path of economic diversification. We were well on the way towards making significant progress to broadening the economic base of our country right up to 2015 as history had taught us that it was not a good thing for the economic fortunes of our country to be overly dependent on one industry. After a seven-year disruption, our Government is again committed to providing the necessary leadership to drive economic growth and development and deepen the diversification of the economic base of our country.
Our Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme has served us well over the years and we will do everything that is necessary to protect it so that it can continue to yield positive results for our country. There are, however, certain reforms that we must implement in order for it to be strengthened and placed in a position to remain a significant industry in our economy. Since taking office, our Labour Government has prioritized reform of the CBI Programme and important administrative changes will be implemented in the coming weeks. While we are committed to working to strengthen the CBI Programme, we are steadfast in the belief that we must also advance an agenda for economic diversification. Our vision of a diversified economy incorporates the CBI Programme as one of the main pillars of development. This vision also incorporates the development of existing and emerging sectors that are showing potential for steady growth over the medium to long term.
Notwithstanding the existing and emerging economic challenges of the day, our Government is committed to the principles of prudent fiscal and debt management. We will collaborate with our international and regional partners including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank to develop and legislate fiscal rules to guide the implementation of the Government’s fiscal policy over the next five (5) years and beyond. We will employ strategies for strengthening public finances by improving tax administration and strengthening revenue collection. This would help to provide the fiscal space necessary to meet the demand for spending as we recover and simultaneously transform the economy in a sustainable way. Given the current realities on the ground where our economy is struggling to rebound and many of our people still unemployed, the Government is cognisant of the role it must play to stimulate economic activity. Our Government will take concrete actions to make timely injections into the economy to boost growth. Our Government will make the necessary investments to support the creation of jobs, sustain growth and transform our economy over the short, medium and long term. This means that the Government’s spending will be strategic, calculated and intentional.
From the onset, we will pursue programmes that link our short-term recovery spending to the longer-term economic and social transformation. More specifically, we will focus on:
1. Providing support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) which were affected by the pandemic, including those in the Manufacturing and Tourism Sectors, to help them increase productivity and their capacity to create permanent jobs;
2. Public Sector investments in critical areas are needed to upgrade basic public infrastructure and the delivery of better services. Special attention will be paid to those activities that can create employment and at the same time move our country closer to achieving our goal of building a sustainable island state. The areas selected for targeted investment include accelerating the pace of utilizing renewable energy; advancing the use of digital technologies; the Agriculture Sector; the Tourism Sector; the Health Sector; Education Sector; Housing; and the blue, green and orange economies.
3. Improving our social protection system so that we can address inequality and inequity and move us towards a more cohesive and inclusive society where every citizen and resident can truly experience the enjoyment of human rights as our forefathers intended.
Our Government will work to safeguard fiscal sustainability by establishing a Growth and Resilience Fund which will help in the prudent management of the Government’s fiscal buffers. Our vision for a model sustainable island state dictates that the Government maintains good and responsible fiscal discipline to enable it to adequately respond to external shocks and sustain critical investments necessary for the transformation of our country.
A More Vibrant and Resilient Tourism Industry
Our new Labour Government is proposing a better way for the expansion of our Tourism Sector which continues to be one of the critical pillars of development here in the Federation. Over the recent past, our tourism industry has shown a lacklustre performance with no major gains in brand recognition or development of the tourism product. At this time, we want to reassure our citizens that our Government is working assiduously to turn things around. We are determined to put our Tourism Sector back on track to contribute more to our national development. Over the next five (5) years, we will attract at least two (2) new five-star hotels building on the foundation that has already been established with the Four Seasons Resort in Nevis and the Park Hyatt Resort in St. Kitts. Our Government has put in place a team that will work hard to ensure that an increasing number of visitors will choose St. Kitts and Nevis as a preferred destination. Our Government, therefore, intends to work with the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) to improve the marketing of our twin island Federation as the premier destination in the Caribbean.
Our Government’s proposal for the expansion of the tourism plant holds great potential to assist in multiple ways to diversify the economy and achieve its development objectives. The addition of Medical Tourism, Sport Tourism, and entertainment-related Tourism will flow from robust and ongoing efforts to establish the federation as a global center for movie and music production and the creative arts in general. The construction of new hotels and other tourism-related infrastructure will provide employment opportunities and facilitate skills transfer in new construction techniques to our local tradesmen and tradeswomen. During the operating phase opportunities will be created for permanent jobs requiring varying skill levels. As we saw in the past, with the build-out of the Four Seasons Resort in Nevis and the Marriott and Park Hyatt resorts in St. Kitts, some of our citizens have been given opportunities to master their craft internationally. We will therefore pursue policies that encourage the promotion of our people working in the tourism industry. We want to see many more of our citizens being offered the opportunity to work regionally and internationally as top executives in their field of choice. Emphasis will also be placed on training our people to take up the opportunities for work in the industry as employees of the new enterprises that would come on stream or as entrepreneurs managing and growing their own businesses.
Our Government will integrate the training offered at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) and the Advanced Vocational Education Centre (AVEC) with the needs of employers and the opportunities created in the Tourism Sector. This will ensure that graduating student of the CFBC and AVEC hospitality programmes are fit and ready for immediate job postings. The CFBC and AVEC will be mandated to ensure that they prepare our students at a sufficiently high standard that will allow them to be functional immediately upon entering their chosen field of work in the tourism industry or any other areas in the world of work.
Not surprisingly, our Government, recognizing the importance of fully reopening the economy, announced to the world that we are open to do business with our international and regional visitors. It is obvious that the travel-related COVID-19 protocols were inadvisably kept in place even when the science and professionals in the field indicated that such drastic measures were no longer warranted. In the first few days in office our Government saw to the removal of these barriers that seriously hindered the recovery of the Tourism Sector and caused many of our establishments to suffer loss of business and many of our people to suffer the indignities of unemployment longer than was necessary. Hardly anything had been done to advance airlift in the last seven (7) years. In that regard, we are unrelenting in our efforts to expand airlift to the Federation by identifying additional carriers with which to form new partnerships to increase access to our beautiful Federation. This is another critical aspect of generating growth in the Sector. We will also explore avenues for expanding our source markets and increasing our Brand recognition in existing and new markets. Already our Government has launched a brand new campaign targeted at increasing visitors to our shores. Further, we will work to expand Cruise Tourism and strengthen the linkages between the Tourism Sector and other Sectors such as the Agriculture Sector and the orange economy.
A Better Way for Agriculture
The ongoing supply chain challenges and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and current global conflicts, coupled with changing rainfall and drought patterns due to climate change have the potential to adversely impact our very existence as a small island state. The reality is that currently, we are a net importer of food and this results in a very high level of food insecurity. We cannot bury our heads in the sand and accept the level of food insecurity that exists in our country today. Growing more food locally will reduce our high food import bill and generate more wealth among our farmers and fishers. The experiences of the past two (2) years have underscored the urgent need for us to focus on building resilience, scaling up innovation and increasing the incorporation of technology in our efforts to produce more food. Food security is an important component of our vision to create a sustainable island state. Our Government is therefore fully committed to putting our fertile land to good use in the production of food for our people. We will make significant investments in the Agriculture Sector including expanding crop production, agro-processing and exploiting the potential for the development of our blue economy. We will provide better access to essential inputs and expand the range of support given to farmers and fishers. This will help to ensure that we boost production and employment, especially of our young people. Our support to the Agriculture Sector will see the expansion of the feeder roads network, improved access to water for irrigation and the establishment of an appropriate mechanism to assist farmers in the marketing, distribution and sale of produce.
We can do more to take advantage of the vast potential of our blue economy. You can count on your Labour Government to do this. We will explore opportunities to expand our fisheries sub-sector in order to take it to the next level of performance where we can make fish more affordable for our families while at the same time creating more opportunities for producing fish products for export. This will make a tremendous difference in improving the nutritional content of our diet at the national level and move us closer to food security. In fact, work has already been initiated in this area within less than two months of taking office. Our Government is actively engaged in negotiations with a potential investor for the establishment of a major fisheries plant in St. Kitts and is looking at some possible sites around the island to locate this plant. We expect that the new fisheries plant will provide a number of direct jobs with the potential for spin-offs to support hundreds of indirect jobs. In tandem with this development, a fishing complex will be established in Dieppe Bay to serve the fisher folks of Dieppe Bay and the surrounding communities.
Our Government will always put the interest of our people first and ensure that our people are the beneficiaries of the policies and programmes initiated by the State. Recognizing the opportunities squandered in the recent past, we will move with urgency to develop a vibrant Cannabis Industry, an industry that holds so much potential for diversification within the Agriculture and Manufacturing Sectors. Our Government is therefore signaling to the Nation and the world that we will move forward expeditiously to strengthen the legal framework and institutional arrangements necessary to facilitate the growth of the Cannabis Industry for medicinal, therapeutic and scientific purposes. We are equally committed to establishing the enabling environment to support a thriving Cannabis Industry with the active participation of ordinary Kittitians and Nevisians in all areas of the industry. In order to grow the industry and establish international linkages, it may be necessary to attract external expertise and foreign direct investment. It will, however, be mandated that all foreign investment in the industry must have substantial local participation and partnership. Equally important, we will also move to expunge the records of persons with a criminal record due to minor cannabis offences. This will empower some of our people who have local knowledge and expertise in the cultivation of the varieties of Cannabis that are already grown here thus adding to the overall vibrancy of the industry.
Reimagining the Manufacturing and other Sectors
Over the last few years, we have seen a decline in activity within the Manufacturing Sector and a significant reduction in the number of persons employed by manufacturing enterprises. Since March 2019 we have witnessed the closure of three factories with a fourth to close this coming November. At least four hundred people, mainly women, would have lost their jobs in the process. The Sector is therefore in desperate need of an updated strategy to chart the way forward for attracting new investments. Our Government, through the St. Kitts Investment Promotion Agency, will be aggressively pursuing opportunities to attract investments in modern technologies such as renewable energy. We will seek to establish at least one factory in the Federation to build solar panels and related accessories that will provide low-cost energy-saving options for homeowners and businesses. This activity is also linked with the potential for export to regional and international markets thereby preserving the Sector’s ability to earn foreign exchange which is necessary for maintaining monetary stability within our Eastern Caribbean Currency Union.
Our Government will pay special attention to boosting the Construction Sector which, over the years, has played a stabilizing and expansionary role in the economy. This Sector has the ability to create jobs while at the same time stimulating a far-reaching multiplier effect in other sectors of the economy. Our Government is committed to investing in the Construction Sector. We encourage the Commercial Banking Sector and other financial institutions to join us in this effort at stimulating growth and empowering our citizens. We know that many citizens have homes that need upgrading or dream of owning their own homes but to date are unable to afford it. Shortly, we will be rolling out our REBUILD and REFRESH home refurbishing and construction initiative where all citizens can benefit from duty concessions on building materials for their homes. This means that people who would like to build or renovate could benefit in terms of support for housing construction projects valued up to $500,000.
Our Government intends to develop several thriving housing communities throughout St. Kitts and Nevis to help upcoming middle-income earners who would not qualify for a low-income home, but who cannot yet afford to buy or build a home in the private real estate market. The main target groups of this programme would be recent University graduates and young business owners who are ready to build a home. The land designated for these special projects will be sold at a discounted rate off the existing market price and options will be given for individuals to choose from a select set of building plans. This will contribute to the development of a thriving community of young professionals who would be encouraged to live and work in the Federation. It is important that the incessant brain drain that we often experience is minimized and that the talent and skills of our young people are retained in the Federation to help build and secure the future of our country.
These initiatives, coupled with the rollout of the National Housing Corporation’s housing programme and the Government’s planned investment in basic infrastructure will no doubt ensure that the Construction Sector will again flourish and create numerous jobs in the economy to the direct benefit of skilled and unskilled workers. Just imagine what a relief this can bring to so many persons who are currently unsure where the next paycheck would come from!! For far too long they have been living in despair but our new Labour Government brings a message of hope over the next five years. Our Government cares and will find the right mix of policies and programmes to empower our people so that they can have a better way to provide for themselves and their families and truly determine their own destiny.
Our Government is truly excited by the great prospects for us to work with our many creatives to build up a vibrant orange economy in St. Kitts and Nevis. We are committed to providing better options to build up this emerging sector where our people can establish small and medium-sized businesses to create employment for themselves and others. We know that our people are talented and creative and we are prepared to put these strengths to work for the collective good of our country. We will work assiduously to ensure that the sector is recognised as an important avenue for developing alternative careers and building up wealth. Fundamental to our thrust to develop the creative industries will be the construction of a National Performing Arts Centre and Academy. This will constitute a multi-purpose facility that will provide a dedicated space for honing the talents of our young people, hosting events and staging of shows which will give young people a platform to showcase their talent, provide valuable exposure and most importantly, a means to make a decent living. Further, our Government will establish clear policies to support creatives in the development of their businesses. This will include the implementation of start-up accelerator programmes that will focus on stimulating the creative industries and providing young people with seed investment, connections, mentorship and educational components necessary for success.
Sports will also be an important focus in the build-out of our orange economy. Our Government recognizes the importance of sports and exercise to a fit and healthy nation and realizes the enormous socioeconomic benefits to be derived from a healthy population. We must therefore encourage and where necessary implement policies to promote greater participation in sports in our schools. We must also assist sports associations in strengthening their administrative and governance framework and address the renovation and maintenance of sporting facilities. Our Government believes that there is a better way for assisting our young people to develop their athletic skills and help them to develop to the point where more of them can successfully compete on the world stage. In this regard, we will create a sports academy with an elite athletic training programme which will recruit, develop and train the top athletes in the Federation to perform at a high standard to be able to participate in professional sports at an international level. Our Government will develop partnerships with recruiters from top sports universities and scouting programmes to bolster our position in the sports world. There are great opportunities to create lucrative careers for exceptional athletes across the various sporting disciplines including tennis, netball, volleyball, football, basketball, cricket and athletics. Moreover, our Government understands the dire need for the sportsmen and women who represent St. Kitts and Nevis at a national level to be provided with adequate health insurance coverage. In our pursuit of a better way, we commit to exploring possible insurance options to facilitate the provision of adequate medical insurance packages for national sports representatives. This will help to ensure that they have adequate healthcare in the event of unpredictable illness or injury that may befall them as a direct result of playing sports.
A Better Way for Building Social Cohesion and Protection
It is important for our people to understand that this new Government firmly believes that there is a better way for us to build social cohesion and ensure the protection of the most vulnerable members of our society. This is a crucial aspect of our thrust to achieve success in building a sustainable island state as our vision speaks to no woman, man or child being left behind. Our energies would be spent on ensuring that all groups within our society are empowered to achieve their individual goals in life. Our social and economic policies will touch the lives of our youth, our elderly, our differently-abled citizens and those who are at risk of engaging in anti-social behaviours.
Our new Government was meticulous in the development of the new Ministerial portfolios in which the subject of youth, elderly and disability were explicitly included. Investments in these areas will be focused on activities that will be beneficial to our people and provide the necessary protection for those who are not in a position to fend for themselves. We will pay close attention to rationalizing our social protection programmes and reprioritizing them to support the people who need these interventions the most. Our Government will enhance the Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) to serve as a social safety net to truly empower the most vulnerable and improve their standard of living, thereby eradicating indigence and significantly reducing poverty across the Federation. We have shared our view that there is a better way for the efficient and effective operation of the PAP. We have successfully transferred the Programme to the Ministry of Social Development, the most suitable Government institution to oversee the social safety net system. We are also well advanced with the rollout of the re-registration process. This has become necessary as there is ample evidence that no credible standards were used during the initial registration process to determine the eligibility of beneficiaries for the programme. Citizens and residents enrolled in the PAP will therefore be re-assessed based on need. We also strongly believe that there should be a process to wean people off the programme. In this regard, our Government will introduce special programmes to assist recipients to improve their lot so that they can graduate out of the programme and create space for others needing support. This approach will ensure the success, sustainability and longevity of the PAP and other important social safety net programmes.
When we look at the Alternative Lifestyle Pathway Programme, better known as the “PEACE Programme” and the way it has operated since its introduction, our Government believes that most citizens would agree that there is a better way for empowering our at-risk young men and women. Our Government will improve the PEACE Programme by making skills training an integral component for the participation of each beneficiary. Young men and women enrolled in the PEACE initiative would be given the opportunity to learn a marketable skill and will be provided with support to either acquire gainful employment or opportunities to start their own businesses. Participants in this Programme will also have a pathway for development and graduation. It is envisaged that the Programme’s graduates would become more positive and productive citizens and contribute to the overall development of the Federation.
The S.T.E.P programme has been in existence for about twelve (12) years. The last-gasp effort to regularize these workers was just a political ploy as they still have no job security. Our Government intends to address this issue along with the other issues faced by S.T.E.P workers with a view towards improving their working conditions and making the programme more efficient.
Our Government is sensitive to the issues affecting the often-overlooked vulnerable groups in society in particular women and children. We understand that gaps exist in the provision of services for the protection of women and children. We have therefore initiated action to make amendments to the relevant pieces of legislation that are intended to help to limit domestic abuse. Additionally, training will be provided for police officers and other persons who interact with families that are experiencing relational problems. The services at the Special Victims Unit will also be upgraded to provide better detection of and response to domestic violence. Our Government is committed to ensuring that special victims can see the dawn of a new day and experience a better way of life. We intend to create a Special Victims Centre which will serve as a safe space for transitioning victims of domestic and sexual abuse and troubled youth who are not criminal offenders.
A Better Way for Healthcare
Health lies at the very foundation of the development agenda of our Government for we care for you. Without a doubt, we are aware of the many challenges that our citizens and residents continue to experience with the quality of healthcare that is presently provided throughout our health system. The public outcry on the unacceptable state of affairs in healthcare, in general, and particularly at the main hospital, will no longer fall on deaf ears. Our Labour Government is listening and has an excellent plan for providing good, affordable and accessible healthcare services for our people. We are committed to ensuring that the JNF General Hospital is transformed into a state-of-the-art health facility. Our people will benefit from top-level care including greater access to modern services right here in the Federation. We will seek to improve and expand services in specialized areas such as oncology and dialysis treatment.
We will scale up the number of skilled professionals working in our healthcare system and invest in the training and recruitment of more specialist doctors and nurses. We will provide support to our citizens who show interest in studying to qualify as registered nurses and nurse practitioners. Our Government will ensure that the number of doctors specializing in critical areas is increased. We will provide incentives for person training in medicine to specialize in areas that are presently lacking in the Federation including nurse practitioners. The capacity of the healthcare system needs to be improved and we are confident that our approach would yield much better results and a modern and more efficient health system.
Our Government believes that after contributing a lifetime of service to the development of our nation, our elderly citizens must be allowed to age with dignity, in an environment free from abuse whether in the home or our institutions. Our Labour Government is committed to improving the care that is provided to our elderly citizens. This will be pursued through the development of a framework and standards for the delivery of geriatric services including the requirement that care workers in this sector possess an elderly care certificate from Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) or a similar qualification. We will improve conditions at the Cardin Home and support the establishment of additional facilities for elderly care. Particular emphasis will be placed on the establishment of daycare facilities where our elderly persons who have contributed so much to our society can go and have meaningful, stimulating engagement that would assist them as they transition into retirement. There is also a better way for providing care for our mentally challenged citizens. We consider the facilities for our mentally challenged and other differently-abled persons to be lacking. We are therefore committed to ensuring that persons who are mentally challenged are treated with dignity and respect and that the level of care provided allows the opportunity for reintegration back into society. Further, efforts will be made to create opportunities for the full integration of our differently-abled citizens in the workplace and other aspects of life in our society. We will also address the issue of our caregivers, those who have sacrificed their jobs and their well-being to take care of family members, members of their communities and friends. Your contribution is invaluable.
A Better Way for Education
A new day has dawned on our education system. Fundamentally, our Government views education as a human right and a vital imperative for achieving our goal of developing a sustainable island state. It took a Labour Government to provide universal access to primary and secondary education and after more than fifty years since the introduction of the comprehensive system, it is time to revolutionize the sector. Over the next five years, we are determined to reform and modernize our education system to make it more relevant to current realities in the job market, more practical and more efficient. Our Government will increase the use of technology in schools including the relaunching of the one-to-one laptop program. Our new diversified economy has been intelligence-driven hence our reformed and remodelled education system would prepare our people for the new opportunities in the new economy in technology-related areas such as coding, design, digital marketing and e-commerce.
Our team of Ministers have already demonstrated their determination to empower the young people of this country and improve the Education Sector with the reintroduction of free tertiary education for our youths attending the CFBC. Our plans for the Sector include easing access to higher education via scholarships and other financial support from institutions like the Development Bank. Greater emphasis will be placed on science, technology, engineering, the arts, mathematics, and technical and vocational education. The performance of our young people in the recently held international robotic event is highly commendable and clearly indicates that every dollar spent on education is a dollar well spent.
Our Government understands that education is a prerequisite for building our human capital and by extension a sustainable island state. What we do not understand is the travesty that occurred with respect to Basseterre High School at the expense of thousands of our young people who have been deprived of a wholesome school environment over the last seven (7) years. Our Labour Government will not play games with the future of our children. In short order, we will start to build a brand new Basseterre High School on its original historical site. We will also embark on a comprehensive plan for the upgrade of the physical infrastructure of all public schools and introduce proper plans for the maintenance of schools across the Federation.
Our Government constantly hears the cries of the young men and women who take the bold steps to embark on tertiary level education to better themselves and to make their contribution to the building of their Nation, but who are often stuck with burdensome student loans. There is a better way to assist our young people to pursue higher education. Our Government has already moved forward to provide free tuition for all students attending CFBC. This new policy offers great financial relief to many families throughout the Federation and enables our students to concentrate on their studies rather than worrying about the ability of their families to pay the required tuition fees. We will also be exploring the possibilities of the CFBC becoming a full University. In that way, more of our citizens and residents can obtain first degrees right here in our Federation without the huge costs involved. Our Government understands the importance and the value of education therefore we will incentivize responsible student borrowers who have demonstrated at least two years of commitment to repaying their student loans. The development of young people is critical to nation-building, ensuring the prosperity of our Federation and fostering the conditions that will allow us to achieve our goal of becoming a model sustainable island state. Our national agenda will ensure that young people pursuing studies in areas of national priority will be given assistance towards tuition and fees.
Our Government intends to facilitate the education and training of specialist teachers who will provide specialized learning for children in common learning differences such as dyslexia, speech-language pathology and occupational therapy. This will be done in tandem with our goal to identify a suitable location for a standalone Centre for Special Education and Autism Spectrum Services. Our children with special needs will finally get the dedicated resources, care and attention that they truly deserve.
A Better Response to Climate Change
One of the biggest challenges we face as a Nation is climate change. Our Labour Government is determined to demonstrate strong leadership in this area as our survival on these two islands is under threat. This is our home and we must do all that we can to protect it for our sustenance today and for future generations of Kittitians and Nevisians. We commit to enhancing the policy framework for our country’s adaptation to climate change. We will work with our people, other small island states in the region and beyond, and bilateral, regional and international partners to strengthen our resilience to environmental and climate change by tailoring more robust risk mitigating responses and improving access to climate financing. We now have a better institutional arrangement for advancing our climate change agenda with the establishment of a new portfolio for Environment and Climate Action. We will ensure that environmental and climate change considerations are mainstreamed in development planning.
Beyond what has already been established, our Labour Government will focus on preserving our environment because it is central to our objective of creating a sustainable island state. Success on this front means that we will also find success in building a green economy with new green jobs, better access to clean potable water, clean and renewable energy, and a better standard of living for all of our people.
We invite the Private Sector to partner with the Government to move forward with our vision for the development of a green economy. There are opportunities for the development of recycling plants, the manufacturing of solar panels, investment in alternative energy sources and arresting the growing problem of water shortages. Our Government is committed to fixing the water problems with the expansion of water wells through a dedicated drilling programme. To reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, we will work with the Nevis Island Administration in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank and other partners to capitalize on the opportunity to develop geothermal energy for the benefit of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. This is an important project which can be a catalyst in our endeavor to create a sustainable, reliable energy sector bringing us closer to being a net-zero emission country. Further, we will introduce policies to further incentivise the use of alternative energy including the installation of solar panels in homes and businesses, and pave the way for the introduction of electronic vehicles as a viable means of transport within the Federation.