Published 21th June 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
The new Team Unity Administration Cabinet, which was sworn-in on Sunday June 14 following its June 5 General Election landslide win, will meet for the first time on Monday June 22 at 10:00 am at the Ministry of Finance Conference Hall.
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, National Security, Sustainable Development, Constituency Empowerment, and Human Resource Management and Information, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris made the announcement on Sunday June 21 at the Cabinet’s first church service which was held at the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Lemon Hill, Bourryeau.
Dr Harris who is also the National Political Leader of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) was at the time delivering remarks from the pulpit where he had been accorded the opportunity to address the congregation by the church leadership. He invited members of Cabinet present to join him on stage and he introduced them to a cheering congregation.
They were the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Infrastructure, Utilities, Post and Urban Development, the Hon Shawn Richards; Minister of Health, ICT, Entertainment, Entrepreneurship and Talent Development, the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett; Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports, the Hon Lindsay Grant; Minister of Human Settlement, National Health Insurance, Social Security, Ecclesiastical Affairs, Social Development and Gender Affairs, the Hon Eugene Hamilton; and Minister of International Trade, Industry, Commerce, Consumer Affairs and Labour, Senator the Hon Wendy Phipps.
“These are the members of the incoming Cabinet, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said the Honourable Prime Minister. “Cabinet will meet for the first time as a collective tomorrow (Monday June 22), and the Cabinet will be hosted thereafter by His Excellency the Governor General for lunch.”
The church service, which was moderated by Pastor Michael Pinney and the message delivered by Evangelist Lawrence Knight, was also attended by Governor General’s Deputy His Excellency Mr Michael Morton, and Mrs Cynthia Morton.
Also in attendance were members of the executives of the People’s Action Movement (PAM), and the Peoples Labour Party (PLP), who were thanked by the Prime Minister for coming and being part of the first worship service attended by the Cabinet since the June 5 General Election.
The Honourable Prime Minister observed the country had a lot to celebrate, saying this was as he reflected the previous evening (Saturday June 20) after going through some letters of congratulations which had come to him from various leaders from around the world congratulating St. Kitts and Nevis on its democratic elections and wishing the country well.
He pointed out to the fact that some of those who wrote to him reflected that St. Kitts and Nevis was the first of many countries in this part of the globe to have held general elections under the difficult circumstances of Covid-19 and it did so very well.
He commended the Chairman of the Electoral Commission and all the staff and workers who made it happen. He pointed out that some of those in the church would have participated as returning officers, presiding officers, poll clerks, and indoor and outdoor agents.
“At the end of it all, the independent observers who came concluded that the General Election of 2020 in St. Kitts and Nevis reflected the will of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis – to God we give the glory,” said Prime Minister Harris. “And the will of the people as expressed, was that the Team Unity Administration should return to government with an enhanced mandate – nine out of eleven seats.”
Also present at the church service was Mr Ian Patches Liburd, who was a member of the first Team Unity Cabinet. In introducing him, Prime Minister Harris said: “I want to specially recognise my friend and former colleague in parliament Ian Liburd, and we look forward to a better and stronger future with him playing a constructive role with us on behalf of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
