Author: SKNISEditor

Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 08, 2021 (SKNIS): The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis implemented new initiatives to further assist the less fortunate to better cope with the financial hardship caused by COVID-19, as well as to further stimulate the economy. One such measure was the waiver of commercial rent for small businesses for the next six months. This was announced by Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris during his monthly press conference at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Conference Room on Thursday, July 08, 2021. “We will waive commercial rent for six months (July to December 2021)…

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, July 08, 2021 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis today (Thursday, July 08) announced a slew of new measures that will help to stimulate economic activity and bring much needed relief to vulnerable groups across the Federation that were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic – one such group being passenger bus operators. Aspart of the protocols implemented to protect citizens and residents and slow the spread of COVID-19, passenger bus owners and operators were asked to limit the seating capacity to 50 percent of the established…

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, July 08, 2021 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – At his press conference today, Thursday, July 08 at the NEMA Conference Room, Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris said his Cabinet took a major decision to implement a slate of new measures to help protect those most in need. These new measures are separate and distinct from those introduced as part of the $120-million stimulus package in 2020. “We will implement an Income Support Programme in the amount of $15 million to alleviate hardships on our citizens who remain unemployed since March 2020…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 8, 2021 (SKNIS): Superintendent of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, Cromwell Henry, said that the National COVID-19 Task Force and the Commissioner of Police have agreed to some easing of the restrictions for fishers. He said this during his presentation at the National Emergency Operation Center COVID-19 Briefing on July 7. “We know the regulations require fishers only to operate on limited operation days between the hours of 5:00 am and 6:00 pm and we recognise that that would have put them at a bit of disadvantage in being able to sell their…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 8, 2021 (SKNIS): St. Kitts and Nevis Royal Police Force in an effort to continue to serve and protect the people of St. Kitts and Nevis, established a Special Victims Unit in 2012 to better police the rise in sexual abuse, domestic grievance, and juvenile abuse. Head of the Special Victims Unit, Detective Sergeant Consie Rogers, explained this during the July 7 edition of SKNIS’ “Working for You” and stated that “We also investigate crimes under the Offences Against the Person Act Chapter 4.21 of the Revised edition 2009 of the Laws of the Federation.” She continued,…

My fellow citizens and residents, thank you for participating in today’s Press Conference organized by the Office of the Prime Minister. This is one element of our good governance agenda, in which we regularly inform, engage, educate and update you on matters of public concern.In my address to the Nation last Friday, I promised to report to you on the nature of a relief package which my Cabinet would provide to our people especially the poor and vulnerable affected by COVID-19.  My Government has earned wide respect as a fiscally prudent administration, but it also is a compassionate one.  This…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 08, 2021 (SKNIS): St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board has increased the number of food vouchers being donated to benefit persons in St. Kitts and Nevis outside of the government’s care package initiative and Poverty Alleviation Programme. A press release from the Social Security Board states: “As our social corporate response, the Social Security Board has allocated $250 000 to a Food Voucher Initiative. RAMS Supermarkets and Horsford’s Valu Mart have collaborated with Social Security in the execution of this programme and have contributed $25 000 to the initiative bringing the total output to $275 000. Additionally,…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 08, 2021 (SKNIS): The Special Victims Unit (SVU) of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force in St. Kitts and Nevis, which was established to investigate crimes of physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, as well as crimes against children in conjunction with the Child Protective Services, is guided by the Domestic Violence Act of 2014, said Detective Sergeant Consie Rogers, Head of the SVU. The Domestic Violence Act of 2014 provides the legislative framework for addressing domestic violence and issuing protection orders. “We have to operate under that Act and that Act doesn’t give the police that…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 07, 2021 (SKNIS): Carleen Henry-Morton, Chairperson of the Traffic Safety and Public Service Drivers Board, reminded owners and operators of public transportation in the Federation to adhere to the seating capacity guidelines that were implemented to protect all stakeholders and slow the spread of COVID-19. On May 25, Prime Minister Dr. The Honourable Timothy Harris announced 10 measures that were accepted by the Cabinet from local health professionals to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. One such measure included reducing the number of passengers on public transportation (buses, ferries etc.) to 50 percent of…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 07, 2021 (SKNIS): Close to 4,000 persons in St. Kitts have benefited from the Ministry of Social Development’s care package initiative since it was introduced in late May 2021. Permanent Secretary Janelle Lewis Tafari gave a breakdown of the numbers at the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) COVID-19 Briefing on July 07. “Since the 28th of May, 3,814 persons have benefited from the food hampers and hot meals,” she stated. The number of households that applied for assistance was 1,236. Of that number, 346 households contained persons in quarantine or isolation. Several of these households received…