Published 17 April 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
RESOLUTION WILL SAVE TIME FOR PERSONS TO ACT TO MAKE THE COUNTRY SAFE, SAYS SENATOR BYRON-NISBETT
Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 17, 2020 (SKNIS): A Resolution that seeks to extend the State of Emergency in St. Kitts and Nevis when passed will save time for persons to act to make Federation safe, said Senator, the Honourable Akilah Byron-Nisbett during the Emergency Sitting of the National Assembly on Friday, April 17, 2020.
“Mr. Speaker, we have before us a Resolution which gives our nation the certainty it needs to fight this disease. Mr. Speaker, we need time to fight. We need to allow time for the measures we have introduced to take effect… give it time to work and that is what this resolution will do Mr. Speaker,” said Senator Byron-Nisbett. “We have to be patient and we must have laws that back our medical practitioners because this is what this is. This Resolution is only backing what our medical experts have been advising us to do Mr. Speaker.”
The Resolution before the Honourable House was made under Section 19(3) of the Saint Christopher and Nevis 1983 Constitution order; a resolution of the National Assembly of the Nevis Island Assembly passed for the purposes of this section shall remain in force for six (6) months or such shorter period as may be specified.
“We are just making sure that we prepare the country and let persons understand that this is a pandemic that we have no idea how long this would last but all accounts tell us that we are in this for the long haul, we have to prepare for the long haul and so, that is what this government is doing. We are preparing the country for what is the long haul, Mr. Speaker,” Senator Byron-Nisbett said.
Senator Byron noted that there is no room for uncertainty and the government will not risk the lives of its citizens and resident, thus deeming the Resolution of paramount importance.
“We cannot afford uncertainty, Mr. Speaker, as we critically fight this. We cannot risk the spike in COVID-19 cases. A spike in cases would risk the health and well-being of doctors, nurses and persons working at all of our hospitals and we cannot afford that Mr. Speaker because we have families. We can’t afford to risk the lives of our elderly… and I would never accept those risks, Mr. Speaker,” said the Honourable Senator.
Senator Byron-Nisbett used the occasion to highlight the stay at home order that is currently in place in the Federation, noting that it will redound to the benefit of all.
“It is a small sacrifice but it is saving lives. If we stop the spread, we stop the virus and we stop possibly losing much of our loved one,” she said. “We are acting on the advice of the medical team. It is not about just deciding in a room with just the ministers that this is what we are going to do, no. Team Unity is acting on the advice of the persons who know best right now and that is our health workers Mr Speaker – our Chief Medical Officer and our Medical Chief of Staff, as well as Mr. Samuel and NEMA. That is what is needed Mr. Speaker to ensure the safety of our people. It is a sacrifice that we are making now to ensure that in the future we will be better,” Senator Byron-Nisbett added.
After a lengthy debate, the Resolution to extend the State of Emergency in St. Kitts and Nevis for a period of up to six months was successfully passed in the National Assembly.
