Published 3 May 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
COVID-19: No country is too large not to require support of small countries
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, May 3, 2020 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — COVID-19 has been brutal in its impact on economies all over the world, and Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris said it has brought to the fore the vulnerability of the most powerful countries in the world, and praised local manufacturers who have met stringent specifications in the production of parts required for ventilators in the United States of America.
“What we do know, and we accept, is that COVID-19 has been brutal in its impact on economies everywhere on our way of life, and our relationships with one another,” said Prime Minister Harris on Saturday May 2. “Some of them are undergoing significant changes and will continue as part of the new norm.”
The Honourable Prime Minister was at the time appearing on the popular Inside the News programme on WINN FM 98.9 which was hosted by Mr Garth Wilkin. Other panellists were the Minister of Agriculture, Health, and National Insurance et al, the Hon Eugene Hamilton, and Director of Counselling in the Ministry of Social Services, Mrs Michele de la Coudray-Blake.
The programme was held under the theme ‘Mitigating the economic and social, and psychological impact of COVID-19’. According to Dr Harris, COVID-19 has brought to the fore the vulnerability of the most powerful countries of the world while at the same time it has demonstrated that no country is too large so as not to require the support of the smallest of countries.
“This came home in a very real way to us in St. Kitts and Nevis because we got a call from the Situation Room in the White House,” observed Prime Minister Harris. “And what was the substance of the discussion was that White House had St. Kitts and Nevis high on its radar for assistance needed in the production of parts required for ventilators.”
For patients with the worst effects of the COVID-19 infection, a ventilator can offer the best chance of survival as it takes over the body’s breathing process when the disease has caused the lungs to fail. That gives the patient time to fight off the infection and recover.
“The need for more ventilators took the smallest country in the western hemisphere into the Situation Room at the White House, when the most powerful country on earth was faced with the challenge of procuring more ventilators,” said the Prime Minister.
The Team Unity Government marshalled the country’s team of health professionals and persons knowledgeable with occupational health issues to come up with a plan to make a determination whether it was advisable for St. Kitts and Nevis to facilitate those activities.
“In the end, based on the professional advice, we were able to give support to these efforts,” advised Prime Minister Harris.
He commended all the workers at Harowe Servo Controls St. Kitts Limited in Sandy Point, and also at Kajola Kristada and Jaro Electronics. The workers’ fine performance before COVID-19 made sure that when there was this pandemic, knowledgeable persons in the USA pointed to St. Kitts and Nevis as being a place that could be of help, and could fill a vacuum that was taking place.
“The lesson from that for all of us is that we are in a shared world, with shared responsibilities and we must recognise this at all times and not just in moment of crisis,” advised Dr Harris. “COVID-19 has demonstrated to us here how much we can achieve when we support the all-of society approach to problem solving and crisis management which my government adopted in the war against COVID-19.”
He added: “There will always be times in the life of the nation when our collective consciences encourage us to speak truth, leaving the politics behind, and acknowledging the greatness of our citizens and residents.”
