Buckie Got It : St Kitts and Nevis News

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Trinidad and Tobago president disappointed CCJ is not final court for all CARICOM states

http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Trinidad-and-Tobago-president-disappointed-CCJ-is-not-final-court-for-all-CARICOM-states-34233.html #

Published 25 April 2017

Trinidad and Tobago President Anthony Carmona

By Ken Richards

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (WINN) — The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) states of St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia and Grenada are among Caribbean states being criticized by a regional head of state for not having replaced the London-based Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice as their final appellate court.

Four countries: Guyana, Barbados, Belize and Dominica are the only ones to have so far acceded to the CCJ’s appellate jurisdiction.

The rest of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is being accused by Trinidad and Tobago president Anthony Carmona of dragging their feet on a matter he considers at the heart of Caribbean pride.

The former judge has expressed disappointment with that state of affairs, and is questioning the delay by most CARICOM nations in moving away from the British Privy Council.

Carmona is quoted as saying, “Perhaps the day will finally come when we can all take pride in, and responsibility for, defining, shaping, writing and ultimately, rewriting our own jurisprudence and laws in the context of our own peculiarities and the relationships among our own member states.”

The Trinidad and Tobago’s head of state articulated his concern about an apparent lack of confidence in the CCJ’s appellate jurisdiction by several Caribbean states during a lecture at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus last week.

Public support in Grenada for the Caribbean court failed to materialize in a recent referendum in the Spice Isle.

Antigua and Barbuda is expected to hold a public vote on the CCJ in the near future.

International news, Local news, News

St Kitts-Nevis joins Antigua-Barbuda in rejecting Illinois tax haven label

http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-St-Kitts-Nevis-joins-Antigua-Barbuda-in-rejecting-Illinois-tax-haven-label-34163.html #

Published 25 April 2017

Foreign Affairs Minister Mark Brantley

By Ken Richards

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (WINN) — Efforts by one American state to officially label St Kitts and Nevis a foreign tax haven are being strongly objected to by the federation’s foreign affairs minister, Mark Brantley, thus joining Antigua and Barbuda in a similar protest.

A proposed House Bill 3419 in the state of Illinois has listed St Kitts and Nevis and 17 other Caribbean countries as a “foreign tax haven” and, if passed, would impact negatively on them.

Economics, News

IMPROVED DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS TO ENHANCE WORKPLACE SAFETY

http://timescaribbeanonline.com/improved-data-collection-analysis-enhance-workplace-safety/ #

Published 25 April 2017

Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 25, 2017 (SKNIS): The Department of Labour in St. Kitts has taken steps to improve its data collection and analysis in keeping with efforts to advance the decent work agenda, which calls for opportunities for work that are productive with a fair income in a safe environment while fulfilling its regional and international obligations.

This was emphasized on Tuesday, April 25, by the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Ron Dublin-Collins, while giving an address to recognize the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which is celebrated internationally on April 28 each year. The theme for 2017 is “Optimize the Collection and Use of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Data.”

“The time has come for us to begin to focus on the critical need to improve our capacity to collect and utilize reliable occupational safety and health data,” Acting Permanent Secretary Dublin-Collins stated, noting that such data are considered “indispensable” in detecting new hazards and risks, developing preventative measures, and implementing new policies, systems and programmes to address such.

To streamline the process, government has employed a statistical officer for the Department of Labour in March this year, who is responsible for collecting and analyzing data. Additionally, in February 2017, labour staff members and other stakeholders in St. Kitts and Nevis were briefed about, and trained to use software for the Caribbean Community’s Labour Market Information System (CLMIS) expected to be implemented in June 2017. It will serve as a database that informs CARICOM member countries of the availability of labour and employment. Mr. Dublin-Collins said “this is another step in the right direction for enhancing the collection and optimization of OSH data.”

The acting permanent secretary also explained that plans are in place to increase the number of labour inspectors, who carry out regular visits to places of employment in order to assess the working environment, and have friendly engagements with employers and employees.

All of the local plans are contained in nine priority areas designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the department. These are Institutional Strengthening of the Department and the Building of the Capacity of Staff; Updating the Labour Legislation; Enhancing the Labour Inspectorate; Educating the Public, Enhancing the Employment Mechanism and the Statistics Unit in the Ministry and Department of Labour; Enhancing the Social Protection System; Industrial Relations; International Relations; and Making Tripartism and Social Dialogue Central Themes for the Creation of Public Policies in Labour.

Several activities will be held this week to mark the observance of World Day for Safety and Health at Work. On Wednesday, April 26, (tomorrow) the Department of Labour will host a Safety and Health Symposium highlighting the importance of having a safe and secure work environment. Forty representatives from the manufacturing, hospitality and construction sectors will participate at the event slated for the Conference Room of Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise Department at Bird Rock. On Friday, April 28, a T-shirt Awareness Day will help to remind/educate the public on the matter and an awareness display will also be mounted at the Labour Department on Church Street. Also on that day, the Department of Labour in Nevis in conjunction with the Nevis Disaster Office will host an awareness rally. A church service on Sunday, April 30, wraps up the activities.

Local news, Local Sports, News

SKNABA AND US CBA LEAGUE TO COLLABORATE ON BASKETBALL DEVELOPMENT IN ST.KITTS-NEVIS

http://timescaribbeanonline.com/sknaba-us-cba-league-collaborate-basketball-development-st-kitts-nevis/ #

Published 25 April 2017

L-R: Coach John Spezia, CBA Owner and President, Anthony Wiltshire Director of Sports, SKNABA President Kenroy Tobias and Secretary-General Wallis Wilkin

President of the US Central Basketball Association and the Owner and Coach of the Illinois Coal Miners team also of the CBA visited the federation of St.Kitts-Nevis recently on a recruiting trip . Coach John Spezia who has been recruiting Caribbean and International players for US Colleges and High Schools has brought is coaching and recruiting expertise to the CBA Illinois Coal Miners team. Coach Spezia along with the CBA President met with officials of the St.Kitts Nevis Basketball Association namely Wallis Wilkin Secretary-General and Kenroy Tobias the President, as well as the Director of Sports on St.Kitts Mr Anthony Wilthsire. Spezia ran a number of recruiting sessions at the Basketball City and as a result was able to recruit Nashorn Maynard who just recently made his debut for Spezia’s Illinois Coal Miners Team.

Spezia along with the CBA President expressed their enthusiasm in working closely with the SKNABA and the Ministry of Sports in the future development of Basketball in St.Kitts-Nevis.

In commenting on the meeting and the visit of Coach Spezia and the CBA President SKNABA Secretary –General Wallis Wilkin stated “There very fruitful discussions and a commitment by Coach Spezia , Ministry of Sports , SKNABA and the CBA to work together in the overall development of Basketball in the federation .”

“Thanks to Coach Spezia who expressed his enthusiasm to work with the SKNABA and the Ministry of Sports in getting more of our athletes exposure to pro leagues, colleges in the US and around the world ,” Wilkin Continued.

Local news, News

IMF Mission conducting economic assessment exercise in SKN

http://timescaribbeanonline.com/imf-mission-conducting-economic-assessment-exercise-skn/ #

Published 25 April 2017

(L-r) Ms. Inci Otker, the International Monetary Fund’s Mission Chief for St. Kitts and Nevis and Hon. Vance Amory, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Finance at the Ministry of Finance conference room on April 21, 2017

NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (April 24, 2017) – A team from the Ministry of Finance in the Nevis island Administration (NIA) led by Hon. Vance Amory, Premier of Nevis were among stakeholders who met with a team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on April 21, 2017, as part of the IMF’s annual economic assessment exercise in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Ms. Inci Otker the IMF’s Mission Chief for St. Kitts and Nevis (SKN) said the meeting in the Federation is a regular consultation to assess the economy’s performance. The team’s visit began on April 18, 2017 and concludes on May 03, 2017.

“We are looking at the macro economic situation, how the financial system is doing as well as some of the social issues and this year particularly we are focusing on not only how the macro-economic and financial situation has been in terms of stability and so on,” she said.

Ms. Otker added that the team was also looking into social issues, and focussed on the status of the unemployment rate; how the inequality and poverty indicators are doing and how wages are determined. They are also looking into the health care system and the fiscal implications of planned universal health care coverage.

The IMF official explained that at the end of the assessment, they would have an overall picture not only micro economically but one which would also encompass the development and sustainable inclusive growth to be achieved in St. Kitts and Nevis.

On conclusion of the mission, a staff report will be issued at the end of May or June. Ms. Otker says she is hopeful the team would be able to provide some useful recommendations going forward.

Mr. Amory described the discussions as productive. He noted that by the end of the meeting, the IMF team would be appraised of the steps the Administration is taking to manage its finances, control its debt and to manage concessions for businesses.

He pointed to the manner in which concessions are granted to businesses. He said the Administration is ensuring that they are granted for productive enterprises which create employment, so that the revenue foregone by government is reflected in activity stimulating growth in the economy.

END