BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, April 7, 2025 (MMS-SKN) — On her first go to to St. Kitts and Nevis, Chargé d’Affaires within the U.S. Mission to Barbados and the Jap Caribbean, Mrs Karin B. Sullivan, took the chance to fulfill and maintain discussions with the Federation’s Senior Minister and Minister of International Affairs, the Rt. Hon Dr Denzil L. Douglas, at his Port Zante workplace.
Mrs Sullivan, who can be serving within the capability of Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy till the choice of a successor ambassador to his Excellency Roger F. Nyhus (former ambassador), was within the nation to attend the 2025 Regional Safety System (RSS) Council of Ministers Assembly, whose opening was on Friday April 4.
“St. Kitts and Nevis is within the means of transitioning its financial system, persevering with since 2004 once we closed the sugar trade, and the USA Authorities has been a associate in transitioning the financial system,” famous the Rt. Hon Dr Douglas, who can also be the Minister of Worldwide Commerce, Trade, Commerce and Client Affairs; Financial Improvement and Funding.
Of their assembly, held late Friday afternoon on the Ministry of International Affairs workplace in Port Zante, they mentioned the as much as US 300 million {dollars} Export-Import Financial institution of the USA (EXIM) facility that the USA has made accessible to the Authorities of St. Kitts and Nevis. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on November 25, 2024.
“We spoke of how this facility will be accessed for aiding within the transition of our independence on fossil gas to the brand new and thrilling renewable power and clear power, each geothermal and naturally photo voltaic,” underscored Dr Douglas.
The Chargé d’Affaires was accompanied, on the Port Zante assembly, by Mr Gabriel Knight, Political and Financial Officer, and Commander Steve Hulse, Senior Defence Official/Army Liaison Officer. She had earlier that day attended the closing ceremony of the USA Air Pressure Southern Command (US SOUTHCOM) Lesser Antilles Medical Help Group (LAMAT) 2025 Mission held on the Marriott Resort.
In accordance with the Senior Minister, in addition they seemed on the growing challenges which are anticipated with regard to the brand new tariff will increase which were imposed by the USA of America on items from St. Kitts and Nevis and different international locations which are despatched to the USA of America.
“After all we consider that such can have some affect on the price of residing,” noticed Dr Douglas. “However what was good is that the Chargé d’Affaires did point out that the Authorities of the USA of America, having been the useful associate in our buying and selling relationship, that the affect will not be as anticipated as a result of the Authorities of the USA was ready to take a look at the scenario in an on-going manner.”
He added that in addition they mentioned the scenario that existed a number of years in the past when the relationships between the USA of America and St. Kitts and Nevis was such that the USA had made legislative provisions for the institution of the Enclave Manufacturing Sector in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Out of that provision, there was the creation of the Industrial Property the place the factories employed hundreds of the nation’s younger individuals who have been assembling digital elements that have been bought into the US market with none tariff as a result of they have been from the standing of comparable factories situated in Puerto Rico, one of many offshore islands of the USA of America.
The International Affairs Minister underscored that St. Kitts and Nevis was sure that with the persevering with assist from the Caribbean Basin Safety Initiative that the nation will have the ability to profit when it comes to strengthening its safety equipment, and its safety infrastructure, with this essential initiative that was launched some twelve years in the past in Trinidad and Tobago.
“We consider that this go to was well timed, and naturally was fairly profitable,” mentioned the Rt. Hon Dr Douglas. “The matter of the pronouncements of the US Authorities with regard to the presence of Cuban service suppliers right here, in St. Kitts and Nevis, didn’t actually come up for dialogue however we all know that that is an on-going political matter.”
He mentioned that St. Kitts and Nevis is “ready to, as we now have mentioned, adhere to all the worldwide norms, all the labour legal guidelines, nationwide or in any other case, and in order that there isn’t any exploitation in any way of the Cuban service suppliers who’re right here in St. Kitts and Nevis within the space of well being care, and within the space of assist for our infrastructure particularly within the Ministry of Works and so on.”
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