| Post-Cabinet
Briefings |
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POST-CABINET STATEMENT
JANUARY 19, 2009
Citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis, good evening. This is the post-Cabinet briefing for Cabinet meeting held today Monday January 19, 2009.
New Accreditation Board Chairman
Upon the resignation of Ms Shawna Lake as the Chairperson of the St. Kitts and Nevis Institutions Accreditation Board, Cabinet approved the recommendation of the Ministry of Education for the appointment of a new chairperson for the Board. The Accreditation Board was established under the Saint Christopher and Nevis Accreditation of Institutions Act, 1999 (No. 21 of 1999), amended in 2001. The Board is responsible for evaluating, certifying and accrediting all tertiary level institutions operating in the Federation, and has the due authority to monitor such institutions over time.
Minister of Education, Hon Sam Condor, emphasized that it is important to have the best qualified person fill the post of Chairperson of the Accreditation Board at this time and was proud to have Cabinet endorse his ministry’s recommendation.
Cabinet agreed that the accreditation process for tertiary institutions such as medical schools needs to maintain a very high standard as government is committed to attracting only highly reputable institutions to the Federation. Government continues to view Education Tourism as a major plank of the industry driving construction, transportation, rental, the purchase of goods and other forms of economic activity, and it implores the new leadership of the Board to pursue this policy with vigour.
Government wishes to publicly thank Ms Shawna Lake for her tenure of service as Chairperson of the Accreditation Board and will announce the new chairperson at a later date.
Update on Price Control
Government continues to monitor very closely the programmes it has put in place to combat the high cost of goods. Cabinet received an update on the implementation and monitoring of the price control order. Under this programme, government has created a basket of essential goods from which import taxes have been removed.
Government is pleased to report that the prices of a significant number of essentials goods have decreased significantly and remained stable over the last few months. However, it is agreed that there is need for even closer monitoring, particularly as it relates to certain goods.
Government pledges to continue to work with bakers and other suppliers to keep the price of bread, milk and other essential products as low as possible in the current environment. Government is also pleased that the capping of the fuel surcharge to a maximum of 50% of the basic charge for electricity has brought significant relief to consumers over the last 12 months and reiterates its commitment to not only shield consumers from high prices of electricity but to also implement renewable energy solutions such as wind and geothermal energy to end dependency on expensive fossil fuel.
Seatbelt and Mobile Phone Use
In an attempt to enhance public safety on the road, government introduced and had passed an act to mandate the use of seatbelts and the non-use of mobile phones while driving a motor vehicle. The Public Transportation Board has been mandated to collaborate with other relevant departments of government to develop a public relations strategy to properly inform and update the public, as enforcement of this new law will commence shortly.
As a means of cracking down on general lawlessness and disorder in society, enforcement of all other traffic laws will be stepped up drastically at the same time. This increased enforcement will not apply to traffic regulations only but to all other areas of law enforcement.
Garbage Collection
Cabinet requested an update on the collection of garbage throughout the country recalling that garbage collection had become a serious challenge several months earlier when there was mechanical failure in a number of garbage trucks at the Solid Waste Management Corporation. The Minister of Health reported that one additional truck has so far been purchased and that two additional trucks that have been ordered will be in operation by the end of April.
Cabinet gave its full commitment to monitor the situation and to work to improve the garbage collection service in areas where there is still some concern. Government takes note of the appreciable improvement over the last few months and continues to push the SWMC to implement all elements of the long-term plan outlined in a special report prepared in September of last year.
END
This brings to the end the post-Cabinet briefing for Cabinet meeting held today Monday January 19, 2009. Thank you! |
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