SUCCESS
Explore the successes of Prime Minister Harris’s achievements in areas such as financial, housing, health, and more.
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SUCCESS
Explore the successes of Prime Minister Harris’s achievements in areas such as financial, housing, health, and more.
Some of PM Harris’ key achievements in government as Prime Minister and Leader of Team Unity includes:
Financial
- Paying off the Douglas’ regime $117 Million IMF Debt in 2016 and restoring our country’s international reputation;
- Implementation of the Poverty Alleviation Program (PAP), which sought to provide low-income households with financial support of $500 monthly payment. Over 5000 households benefit from this programme
- Delivering justice to over 2,400 former Sugar Workers and their beneficiaries through payments from the Sugar Workers Restoration Fund;
- Substantially increasing the Monthly Budgetary Support to the Nevis Island Administration to over $6million monthly:
- First administration ever to deliver four consecutive years of payment of an extra month’s salary to Civil Servants and employees at statutory corporations;
- Generating more money in the hands of the public by removing VAT from all food, medical supplies and funeral expenses;
- Looking after Government Auxiliary Employees (GAEs) by reinstating the annual honorarium;
- The PM Harris led administration demonstrated leadership and resilience by delivering three stimulus packages in 2020, 2021 and 2022. They were able to accomplish this because Prime Minister Harris effectively managed the nation, establishing the strongest fiscal buffers in the hemisphere, despite frequently paying double salaries, paying off the IMF debt, and spending $200 million to reclaim land for the people that had been “poofed away” in exchange for debt swaps at Ottleys, Cayon, Sandy Point, and Lamberts.
- Reinstatement of the annual honorarium to Government Auxiliary Employees (GAEs) and regularization of STEP Workers making them eligible for Pension .
- Five years of positive economic growth.
- No new taxes and yet in surplus, year after year.
- Expanded the number and sizes of lands distributed to farmers for cultivation and livestock;
- Improved crop planning to better meet local demand with an aim of becoming self-sufficient in key produce;
- Expanded subsidies and other concessions to farmers and fishers;
- Facilitated opportunities for fishers with the establishment of fish aggregation devices (FADS) at strategic locations in our waters, so more fish like marlin, tuna and mahi-mahi can be caught;
- Provided training for farmers and fishers; Reduced the cost of various agricultural products and services; Improved farming technologies such as shade and green houses; Introduced a new farmer registration system with lower fees;
- Provided debt forgiveness for farmers owing land rent up to the launch of new registration mechanism;
- Improved the environment for the start-up and survival of more micro, small and medium sized businesses;
- Transformed NEDD into the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) with support of the US Department of Commerce to better meet the needs of the MSME sector;
- Provided new financial capital for MSMEs; Improved the general investment climate; Implemented the National Manufacturing Strategy;
- Granted concessions to new and existing manufacturers; and Improved the capacity of the Bureau of Standards & the Multi-Purpose Laboratory;
- Established the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Governance Board in 2015, to provide oversight on matters relating to the integration of ICT development in various aspects of government;
- Secured two international awards for major improvements in the ICT sector during the 14th World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Symposium (WTIS) held in Botswana in 2016;
- Enhanced the delivery, quality, adoption and usage of government e-services;
- Completed a comprehensive Digital Strategy and Roadmap to guide the transformation in the Public Sector; and Consulted with Deloitte to explore the development of a new digitally based payments system for the Central Government, to make it easier to make and receive payments.
- Strengthened the regulations governing the operations within the Financial Sector;
- Rationalised the system of issuing fiscal incentives to local and foreign-owned investors; and Passed necessary legislation to facilitate adherence to, and compliance with, our international obligations.
Housing
- Completed work on the East Street Condominiums;
- Constructed 12 housing units within the East Street environs;
- Constructed two 12-unit townhouses in Stapleton Village and one 8-unit duplex in Conaree; and Reduced mortgage payments on NHC houses.
- Provided over 3000 families with improved housing solutions; Undertook a social enquiry to fairly determine housing and land needs;
- Provided suitable and affordable housing to current residents at Wellington Rd; Constructed homes for the differently-abled in the Sandy Point, Cayon and Stapleton areas;
- Expanded and upgraded housing developments at Phillip’s and Belle Vue;
- Completed work on the East Street Condominiums; Constructed 12 housing units within the East Street environs;
- Constructed two 12-unit townhouses in Stapleton Village and one 8-unit duplex in Conaree; and Reduced mortgage payments on NHC houses.
- Redeeming over 800 acres of land from the Land for Debt Swap arrangement for use by the residents in Cayon, Lodge, Lamberts and Sandy Point;
Crime & Safety
- Implemented initiatives which led to the reduction of crime, especially homicides;
- Provided police with the resources and training they need to take on criminal elements;
- Installed over 345 CCTV cameras throughout Basseterre; and Expanded and increased the number of police officers who undertake training in the Forensics Laboratory.
- Delivering safer streets by reducing the rate of homicides and violent crimes through the Alternative Lifestyle Programme (also known as the Peace Programme);
Health
- Refurbishing the dental clinic at the Newtown Health Centre;
- Making cancer care available through the establishment of an oncology wing at the JNF General Hospital;
- Building a brand-new Tabernacle Health Centre; Building the brand-new Mary Charles Hospital for all the people in the Canada Estate to Parsons Medical District; Providing a new Dental Clinic at Mary Charles Hospital;
- Started the first 24-hour EMT/Ambulance Service dispatch point based permanently at Mary Charles Hospital; and
- Opened a mental health day treatment centre at Lime Kiln which allow greater support to people who need such care and attention, and respite to the families and those who look after people with mental illnesses
Community Wins
- The largest number of jobs ever created in this country was under PM Dr. Hon. Timothy Harris and his Team Unity administration. Young people are no longer denied the chances they require to establish successful lives for themselves as a lot of people are starting their own businesses.
- Refurbished the Day Care Centre at the Industrial Site;
- Provided computers and furniture for the computer laboratories at the Violet Petty, Newton Ground, Sandy Point, and Estridge & Edgar T. Morris Primary Schools;
- Delivered a new primary school at Mansion and Lodge Project; Renovated the primary schools at Tabernacle and Molyneux; Continued the Annual Help-a-Child Primary School Scholarship Award, which celebrated 18 years in 2021;
- Provided resources for the rehabilitation of Washington Archibald High
- School; Rehabilitated Saddlers Secondary School;
- Helping over 3,000 homeowners recover from hurricane damage through the Roof Repair Programme;
- Invested in the construction of a workshop extension at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College; Rehabilitated the Verchilds High, Charles E. Mills Secondary and Cayon High Schools;
- Delivered resources for the multi-purpose centre at the Charlestown Secondary School; Enhanced the laboratories workshops at the Gingerland Secondary School;
- Installing lighting at the Tabernacle play field and Sandy Point Recreation Ground;
- Constructing sidewalks east from the RLB International Airport round-about to Saddlers/Parsons Villages;
- Constructing the Lodge Multipurpose Community Centre;
- Constructing sidewalks extending west from the Camps round-about
- to Challengers; Building a pedestrian sidewalk along Bird Rock Road;
- Relocating the bus stop on Branch and Johnson Streets; and Providing lighting upgrades at the Warner Park Stadium.
- Ensuring essential skills training of our young people through the STEP Programme;
TOP 7 Major Infrastructural Development Projects which the PM Harris led Team Unity Government delivered:
- Built the second cruise pier at Port Zante
- Completed the East Line Bus Terminal
- Commenced the Old Road Bay Realignment Project
- Commenced the West Line Bus Terminal
- Implemented capital projects such as the South Friars Bay Beach Enhancement Project and work on the second phase of De Strip Development Project
- Constructed a fully air-conditioned Basseterre Ferry Terminal
- Conducted airport work on the taxiway and the installation of new runway lighting
- Modernising the nation’s infrastructure through the rehabilitation of Old Road Bay, resurfacing of the Island Main Road and the construction of the second cruise pier
Regional
- In terms of economic strength and management, St. Kitts and Nevis routinely outperformed the OECS, ranking among the best in the Caricom and even the Western Hemisphere. According to World Bank data for 2019, St. Kitts and Nevis came in third place among the 32 sovereign governments that make up the Organization of American governments (OAS), excluding the US and Canada, which are not included in our peer group. Only Panama and the Bahamas ranked higher.
- Hosted the State of the Caribbean Internet Symposium 2019, in collaboration with the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) and the OECS
- Continued the technical assistance programme with Taiwan
- Increased visa-free access and visa-upon-arrival privileges for citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis to over 150 countries and territories;
- Secured diplomatic relations with over 20 countries, and for the first time, some countries such as Nicaragua, Indonesia and Ghana have accredited ambassadors to the Federation;
- Normalised the diplomatic relations between St. Kitts and Nevis and Canada; Established and opened the St. Kitts and Nevis High Commission in Canada;
- Hosted Diplomatic Week in 2019, which saw the participation of diplomats and consular officers, and our nation’s development partners, from over 30 countries.