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Nevis
delegation returns from St Maarten and Anguilla
Date Posted: April 24, 2008.
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis: Premier Joseph Parry, has
returned to Nevis after leading a delegation to
St Maarten on Saturday and Anguilla on Sunday.
Parry reported to Nevisian nationals on the accomplishments
of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).
Deputy Premier Hensley Daniel, Premier
Joseph Parry, Legal Adviser Patrice
Nisbett
Parry was accompanied by Deputy Premier Hensley
Daniel, Junior Minister Dwight Cozier and Legal Adviser to
the NIA Patrice Nisbett.
“We went into government with the idea of
improving the lives of Nevisians. Our Slogan was “People
First” and our manifesto was entitled “The People’s Agenda.
We have not reneged on that promise. Since we have been in
government, we have focused on a number of issues like
education and training for young people. We have provided
free textbooks to students in government schools, free
lunches for those who qualify and free or assisted tuition
for college/university level education,” said Parry.
The Premier’s report was assisted by a Power
Point presentation that contained text and pictures of the
undertakings and progress of the NRP led NIA over the past
21 months.
As part of the presentation, the audience saw a
worker taking some water in a bottle from Maddens, (one of
the gushing wells) and drinking it.
“There has not been anything done to water in
Nevis since 1996. We (NIA) have brought in a company named
B.E.A.D and they have found water and we are expecting to
provide about one million gallons of new water daily for the
island of Nevis,” said Parry.
The Premier indicated that there has been a lot
of infrastructural work that has also taken off greatly in
Nevis under the NRP. Motorists on Nevis have witnessed
smoother, wider and straighter roads. In addition, there has
been a lot of infrastructural work to the Island Main Road,
St Thomas’ parish, Charlestown and in the Parish of St
John’s and work is in progress on the Camps and Westbury
roads.
Parry also told the audience that he and his
cabinet are pushing towards Nevis controlling their own
police and fire services.
“We have an understanding with the Federal
Government that on the 25th Anniversary of Independence,
Nevis will have greater control of its affairs. We will be
in charge of health, education, police and fire services,
but we can not do it without raising revenues.“
Recently, a revised property tax on houses has
been introduced. The revised property tax bill would value a
person’s home by market value instead of the past evaluation
of rental value which has been previously in affect.
“To raise revenue we are going to ensure that
everyone pays their pProperty tax and we are going to ensure
that corporate tax is paid by all the banks in Nevis,” said
Parry.
The question and answer period, which formed
part of the meeting, generated a great deal of interest,
and Parry was asked a number of questions about the
geothermal energy project which is presently taking place in
Nevis.
“I will state this, geothermal drilling has gone
down some 2,000ft and there will be numerous benefits to
Nevis such as revenue for the island once we export the
energy to neighbouring islands, more jobs and a lower
electricity bill monthly,” he explained.
In response to a participant’s question about
Nevisians abroad receiving affordable housing from
government, Patrice Nisbett answered, “We cater for the
needs of all Nevisians no matter where they reside. We don’t
discriminate. Once the individuals fit the necessary
criteria we can honour the request.”
Both meetings were very well attended and the
Anguilla meeting included a few noteworthy non-Nevisians
such as the former Prime Minister of St Kitts-Nevis, Dr
Kennedy Simmonds and Minister of Social Affairs in the
Anguilla Island Administration Mac Neil Rogers.
All in all, the participants and the Nevis
Island Administration all agreed the meetings were an
outstanding success!
