Editorial

Budget 2022 is intended to be people-centred and all-inclusive. Any objective observer or analyst would concur that the Team Unity government is saying all the right things. 

The EC$952.2 million budget, which will provide for the Federation’s services for the coming year, was unveiled to the National Assembly on Tuesday last by Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris.

If reactions from members of the gallery and the positive opinions and praise, from near and far, on various social media platforms in particular, are indicative of the budget’s acceptance and potential, Dr. Harris can justifiably feel satisfied that the initiatives proposed by his government are being widely perceived as all-encompassing and what is best for the nation at this critical juncture.

The announcement that double salary will be paid to all civil servants this month, to help ease the burden on workers and to generate economic activity across the Federation, has significantly lifted spirits. The move was undeniably a master stroke. The initiative reportedly did not find favour with Premier Mark Brantley. Fortunately the PM did not allow that second-guessing to derail the highpoint of the budget, and deprive those in need.

 We cannot understand why Brantley opposed such a measure. There is a surplus. The federal government is paying for the expenses of government workers receiving the double salary in Nevis. People’s lives are being made better and the economy benefits.

 The PM duly highlighted the financial prudence of his administration.

“I am honoured to report that the Team Unity Administration maintained its record of being a good steward of the Government’s finances. That fortitude and resilience were demonstrated in the outturn of the Government’s fiscal operations for the 2020 fiscal year when a Recurrent Account Surplus of $40.8 million was achieved.”

Prime Minister Harris also eased concerns with the announcement that a number of measures introduced in the second stimulus package – and that would have expired in a fortnight – will be extended for the first six months of 2022.

The Prime Minister also stated that the proposed allocations in the budget would “not only assist the Government to maintain its heavy investment in our people, but will help to build resilience in our response to the pandemic, and put our country of St Kitts and Nevis back on track to becoming a model small island developing state”.

“Our proposals for capital expenditure will make a significant contribution to our economic recovery by creating jobs, and more jobs, and moving our country closer to full recovery. We are taking a cautiously optimistic outlook for the fiscal year 2022, and therefore with these proposals, we are setting the wheels in motion to advance our plans for putting St Kitts and Nevis back on track.” 

We are cautiously optimistic about the year ahead. 

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By Staff Reporter

While Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dr Timothy Harris championed the need to pay government workers a double salary for Christmas, to cushion households from the effect of Covid-19 and to stimulate the economy, Premier of Nevis and Foreign Minister Mark Brantley was riled up by the decision during the last cabinet meeting, according to persons familiar with the matter.

A source told The Observer that as soon as Prime Minister Harris was finished placing the double salary issue on the table, Brantley came out swinging.

There is no need for this. How are we going to explain it? The source paraphrased Brantley as expressing his disagreement with the move.

The source said that Harris countered Brantley’s pessimism by detailing that the country experienced a surplus on current accounts, and “we must pass some of the surplus on to people”.

The source also recounted that Harris was forceful and deliberate in his response to Brantley, and that was precisely how he delivered the announcement to the nation in his budget address of Tuesday.

Brantley subsequently praised the double salary announcement on his Facebook page shortly after the Prime Minister delivered his budget address.

In that address, Prime Minister Harris made his compelling case for the extra month’s salary to be approved.

“We understand even as we meet here, thousands of persons are still suffering. Thousands are still not fully engaged in our hotels and our restaurants – we appreciate that, and they need some help.

“We have been unique in protecting the jobs of near 10,000 people – of our civil servants and GAE workers and pensioners – by not letting off persons.”

“Mr. Speaker, we recognise that as a result of the pandemic, some of our Civil Servants are the only providers in their household. Many are forced to now singularly carry the financial burden of providing for their families. We are a compassionate and caring Government that is highly focused on investing in our people. Our decision is therefore consistent with our people-centered policy framework and our twin objectives of investing in our people and putting our economy back on track.

“Our action would serve to reward our Civil Servants who have been diligent in their service and help those who are finding it difficult to cope with their financial obligations,” the Prime Minister told Parliament live on radio and television.

He added that government will extend several of the stimulus measures that are slated to expire on 31st December 2021, with the main initiatives to be extended until June 2022 including the following:

•       Removal of VAT and Import Duty on additional hygiene items such as hand sanitizers, disinfectant sprays, rubbing alcohol and latex gloves. This is critical support as we continue to take preventative measures against COVID-19.

•       Removal of Import Duty and Customs Service Charge on selected items including vegetables, fruits, fruit juices, cough and cold preparations and vitamin supplements. This is both to help our citizens and residents boost their immune system by accessing critical supplies and to reduce the cost of living for everyone – especially the less fortunate.

•       Waiver of payments for consumption of water for individuals who have been laid off or experience a reduction in earnings due to COVID-19.

•       Waiver of payments for the consumption of water by farmers.

•       Reduction of the Corporate Income Tax Rate from 33 percent to 25 percent for businesses that retain at least 75 percent of their employees.

•       Reduction of the Unincorporated Tax Rate to 2 percent down from 4 percent.”

And there was more from the Prime Minister in relation to support for those who are not well off.

“We are also proposing that the 2022 Estimates provide the necessary resources to support the Poverty Alleviation Programme and further capitalize the Severance Payment Fund to facilitate the payment of any additional severance claims. In this regard, the amounts of $32.3 million and $5.0 million would be provided for the Poverty Alleviation Programme and the Severance Payment Fund respectively. 

“Once the economy is back on track, we would shift focus to rebuilding fiscal buffers and calibrating other policy measures to safely transition from the COVID-19 policy measures. We will focus on activities to improve the effectiveness of public spending, including cost recovery and cost cutting measures.”

The Prime Minister asserted that despite the uncertainty and volatility faced by the global community in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government embarked on a bold initiative geared towards the regularization of well over two thousand individuals employed under the Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP) as Government Auxiliary Employees (GAEs).  He said that individuals enrolled in the STEP were assigned to Public and Private Sector entities on both islands.

“To accomplish the task of regularization of the STEP workers, my Cabinet appointed a Select Committee. The Committee has successfully completed a number of activities to bring us to the point where the first phase would be fully implemented by the end of the first quarter of 2022. The work of the Committee entailed a comprehensive Verification Exercise.

“This was supplemented by an Employee Performance Appraisal and Evaluation Exercise conducted by Government Ministries/Departments including a recommendation by Permanent Secretaries as to whether or not to regularize STEP workers assigned to their Ministries. The regularization of the STEP workers will be done in a phased way and will commence early in 2022.”

He concluded by disclosing that the first phase of the regularization of these workers is estimated to cost $16.4 million, and that the intention is to provide better job security for a relatively large number of citizens and residents who have contributed to the work of the Government and to the development of our Country over the years as STEP workers.

“This is another clear example of our investing in our people as we provide better job security for a relatively large number of our citizens and residents.”

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Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis and Minister of Finance, Dr Timothy Harris, on Tuesday, delivered a nearly one-billion-dollar budget that he described as “people-centred,” demonstrated by “significant investments in our people’s safety, health, education and a range of social safety nets”.

The highly anticipated presentation was made at a sitting of the National Assembly at the St Kitts Marriott Resort’s ballroom.

The Prime Minister began the Annual Fiscal Statements and Budgetary Proposals for 2022 by disclosing that government proposed the allocation of $952.2M to support recurrent and capital expenditure, as well as to cover net lending and principal payment in the coming year. 

The following allocations were recommended:

• Governor-General – $1.78M; 
• Parliament – $1.97M;
• Audit Office – $1.27M;
• Justice and Legal Affairs – $12.3M;
• Office of the Prime Minister – $110.6M; 
• National Security – $80.1M; 
• Ministry of International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs – $5.4M;
• Ministry of Finance – $300.2M;
• Social Development and Gender Affairs – $42.7M;
• Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources – $20.3M; 
• Tourism and Transport – $32.7M; 
• Public Infrastructure, Post and Urban Development – $59.2M; 
• Education – $104.5M;
• Health – $73.7M; 
• Youth, Sports and Culture – $11.7M; 
• Sustainable Development – $25.4M; 
• Foreign Affairs and Aviation – $25.5M; 
• Office of the Attorney General – $12.3M; 
• Labour – $7M;
• Human Settlement, Ecclesiastical Affairs and National Health Insurance – $11.6M; 
• Environment and Cooperatives – $2.95M;
• Entrepreneurship and Communications – $9.03M;.

Dr Harris said the proposed allocations would “assist the government to maintain its heavy investment in our people”.

“When we hear $100-plus million to Education, we know we are talking people investment. When we hear $73M for Healthcare, we are talking people investment.”

He said it will also help to build the resilience in response to the pandemic, and noted they are taking a cautiously optimistic outlook for the fiscal year 2022.

“These proposals are setting the wheels in motion to advance our plans for putting St Kitts and Nevis back on track.”

Dr Harris said that in 2022, the global economic output is expected to increase by 4.9%. The global downside risk, he added, includes supply chain disruptions, ongoing social unrest in parts of the world, geopolitical tensions that have emerged from the cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, and the impact of severe natural disasters.

He said that the economies in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union recorded a decline in real GDP of 14% in 2020. The decline in economic activity, he said, was attributed to significant contractions in key sectors. Tourism fell by 63.2%; Transport, Storage and Communications 25.7%; Construction 17.1%; and Wholesale and Retail 12.4%.

“Across the Currency Union, member states suffered a decline in economic activity ranging from 2.7% to 23.8%.

“The 2022 growth prospects within the Currency Union is now being put at 6.9%, and would be contingent on a number of variables, including the rate of uptake of available vaccines, the occurrence of natural disasters, and the emergence of new variants and waves of the virus across the Currency Union and in the tourism and investment source markets.”

Addressing the domestic economy, Prime Minister Harris said as the pandemic continues to test the fortitude and resilience of citizens and residents, and the economy at large, the Team Unity Administration maintained its record of being a good steward of government’s finances.

“That fortitude and resilience were demonstrated in the outturn of the Government’s fiscal operations for the 2020 fiscal year when a Recurrent Account Surplus of $40.8 million was achieved.

He pointed out that substantial stimulus packages and considerable capital programmes remained that would boost economic activity.

The prime minister also noted that the debt-to-GDP ratio increased from 54.3% at the end of 2019 to 67.9% at the end of 2020.

“The 13.6 percentage point decline in economic activity in 2020 was the primary reason for the increase in the debt ratio. As a result of our stimulus packages, we are already seeing a rebound in economic activity, and this will bring a further positive re-alignment of our debt to GDP ratio.”

Construction

The Prime Minister said that overall, the medium term outlook for the Construction Sector is positive with an expected growth rate in the region of 11.7 percent in 2022. 

“We are working to ensure that the Construction Sector is put back on track and we invite the Private Sector to come on board to ensure that this is achieved not only in 2022 but is sustained over the medium term.”

Agriculture

Dr Harris said the government’s goal “to produce more of what we consume”, continues to align with the commitment to making strides in achieving sustainable development goals #2 – zero hunger and #12 – responsible consumption and production.

“The injection of approximately $10M to boost the production of the agricultural sector and ensure greater food security has helped in this regard. Month after month we have had strong, positive returns in crops, in livestock, and in the fisheries sector.

“We are happy that the stimulus package has aided our fisherfolks and farmers in making progress and earning better livelihoods.”

Tourism

Dr Harris said this sector has borne the full brunt of the economic fallout of the pandemic.

He noted experts in the travel industry are hopeful for a return to pre-pandemic global travel levels by 2023.

“My government has initiated a strategy for putting the tourism sector back on track. Our strategy is designed to allow the sector to act as a catalyst for substantial economic growth and development through the creation of employment, spurring entrepreneurship and infrastructure development.”

CBI Programme

Dr Harris noted the ability of the Federation to weather the economic storm caused by the pandemic was significantly influenced by the continued success of the CBI programme.

He added that the CBI programme has maintained its ranking as one of the best in the industry.

The program, he said, received the highest score in the citizenship timeline pillar as a result of its accelerated application process.

“We have transformed our CBI. We have come a long way from the difficult period in 2014. 

“The robust procedures that are embedded in the programme have enabled us to maintain our platinum brand, and have ensured we take a significant share in the major markets around the world.”

National Security

The Prime Minister said that National Security continues to be a top priority of the Team Unity administration.

“We have put forward $80.1M to assist that particular Ministry.”

He expressed hope that the national security heads will use the investment well.

“We will continue our efforts to keep the country safe, and none can deny that St Kitts and Nevis in 2021 is far more at peace, and far safer than it was up to 2014.

“The primary responsibility of the state must be to protect the people from harm. When it comes to national security, preserving the peace, we make no apology for investing.”

Healthcare

The Finance Minister said the money provided for healthcare will help to provide necessary resources to fund additional medical professionals “and we need them”.

“A general surgeon, urologist, oncologist, orthopaedic surgeon, ear nose and throat specialist will all be recruited for the health institutions.

 “We will provide you with diagnostic services with the introduction of a new MRI machine to be installed at the JNF General Hospital for the first time.”

 He said support for health centres will continue, including renovation work at the health centre in Basseterre.

 “The future for our health systems look promising, and we can take comfort that our investments which have been proposed will lead to 2022.”

Cannabis

The prime minister said St. Kitts and Nevis is working hard to seize all opportunities within the cannabis industry.

“Our federation will seek to collaborate with neighbouring islands in the sub-region and wider Caribbean, as well as to establish relationships with global cannabis professionals and entities, to build a thriving cannabis industry here.”

Positive about 2022

Dr Harris said assuredly that they are positive about 2022.

“Positive in the context of the predictions of the IMF and our statistics department, that the country will grow in double-digit terms.”

He noted that “total revenues and grants will be comprised of just over $430M, and from taxes, we will generate about $468M, and $15.5M is being expected via development aid. In other words, all activities taking place in St Kitts and Nevis will be funded from our own governmental resources, and we are not anticipating that we will have to take on debt”.

On the expenditure side, it will be $910 million by the end of 2022 – $728.6M for recurrent expenditure and $180.9M for capital expenditure and net lending.

“If all things remain the same, we anticipate that we will realise an overall surplus of $4M – a primary surplus of $21.8M for the fiscal year 2022.”

He anticipated that they will eliminate the need to borrow, and will allow the government to attain the goal of a 60% debt to GDP ratio by 2023.

The Prime Minister said that so far they are reasonably projecting that for 2021 there will be a strong surplus.

“Over the period 2022 to 2024, it is projected that the fiscal operations of the government would on average result in an overall surplus of about $900,000.”

Recurrent revenue, he said, is projected at around $853.1M per annum and recurrent expenditure is projected at $733.5M.

He said they are on target to realize a comeback in the economy, and it will be in a better place. 

Photo caption: Prime Minister Harris delivering the budget address

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 NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS — Hon. Spencer Brand, Minister in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) welcomed the captain, crew and guests of the MV World Voyager to Nevis, as the vessel made its inaugural call to the island on December 17, 2021.

During a small ceremony at the Charlestown Port, the minister who represented Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Tourism, told the cruise ship’s Staff Captain David that they had chosen one of the premier destinations in the Caribbean. He described the island as one steeped in history.  

“Nevis is an island that is rich in history. I would share with you that the island of Nevis is the place where the first hotel in the Caribbean was constructed, the Bath Hotel. I would also share with you that Nevis is the birthplace of one of the founding members of the United States of America, Alexander Hamilton. So we have a very rich history here on the island of Nevis,” he said.

Mr. Brand expressed hope that the vessel’s inaugural visit to the island would be the first of many; that the captain and crew would find the island a place they would be drawn to; and that the guests would have rave reviews at the end of their visit which would result in placing Nevis on the MV World Voyager’s itinerary.

He described the visit is a pleasurable one for Nevis, mindful that the COVID-19 pandemic had disseminated the island’s tourism industry over the past two years.

“We are indeed delighted to see that there is some buoyancy again in the tourism sector here on the island of Nevis. We hope that your visit here on Nevis would be a long-lasting partnership with your entity and the island of Nevis, and we hope that at the end of the day it will be mutually rewarding and beneficial for both.

“So welcome on behalf of the Premier, on behalf of the cabinet and the people of Nevis, it is my distinct pleasure to welcome you officially to the island,” Minister Brand said

 In response, the vessel’s Staff Captain Daniel thanked everyone for the warm welcome, and expressed hope that the vessel would return to the island. He used the opportunity to speak about the visit.

“This inaugural call has been very calm, very smooth so we hope to come back as the Navigator and any sister ship that’s going to come out soon next year.

“So we hope to come back here and return to this nice Caribbean island with all this beautiful weather, and I’m sure our gusts are going to be enjoying today and maybe also, they love it and they are going to come also for their own private vacations,” he said.

Meantime, Mr. Devon Liburd, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA) who chaired the event, described Nevis as a tranquil, peaceful and calm destination, and added that he was certain the passengers would be satisfied with the destination, and make recommendations for the MV World Voyager to return to Nevis.

At the end of the ceremony, Minister Brand and Staff Captain Daniel, who was accompanied by crew member Anastasia, exchanged tokens of appreciation.

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London (CNN) South Africa, the United Kingdom and Denmark are three of the countries where the Omicron variant is now surging, less than a month after it was first detected.

The UK is seeking to vaccinate itself out of the crisis, with an accelerated campaign to give a third Covid-19 vaccine dose to all eligible adults by the end of December.

In South Africa, meanwhile, researchers say early data suggests Omicron causes milder symptoms — but it’s still unclear how much of a role immunity from vaccination or previous infection plays.

Denmark is mulling new restrictions in an attempt to control a spike of new cases.

So what can other countries learn from their experience?

It’s too late to keep Omicron out

Despite many nations imposing a slew of travel restrictions, the variant has spread quickly around the globe.

Records fall and borders close as world races to get control of Omicron

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing Tuesday that 77 countries have now reported cases of Omicron, and “the reality is that Omicron is probably in most countries, even if it hasn’t been detected yet.”

“Omicron is spreading at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant,” Tedros said. “We’re concerned that people are dismissing Omicron as mild. Surely, we have learned by now that we underestimate this virus at our peril.”

He added that even if Omicron does cause milder disease, “the sheer number of cases could once again overwhelm unprepared health systems.”

The UK government removed 11 countries, all in southern Africa, from its “red list” on Tuesday in light of the spread of the Omicron variant within its own borders, meaning hotel quarantine is no longer required for visitors from those destinations.

The variant has already been detected in 36 US states, Washington DC and Puerto Rico.

“I imagine Omicron will be everywhere soon,” Michael Head, a senior research fellow in global health at England’s University of Southampton, told CNN. “And there’ll be a lot of Omicron around that most countries haven’t detected yet, in part because testing systems and genomic capacities may be limited.”

It may not take long for Omicron to become the dominant strain

The first two cases of the Omicron variant were detected in the UK on November 27. By Tuesday, it had overtaken Delta as the dominant Covid-19 strain in London, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

Omicron is coming but boosters should fight it, US federal health officials say

“Now, more than ever, getting your first, second dose or booster as soon as possible is vital. Please don’t leave it to chance,” London’s regional director for public health Kevin Fenton tweeted.

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Tuesday that Omicron cases were doubling around every two days in the country, adding that “the growth in Omicron cases here in the UK is now mirroring the rapid increase that we are seeing in South Africa.”

By Thursday, the UK had reported 88,376 new coronavirus cases, according to government data — the highest daily number since the pandemic began. South Africa also recorded its highest ever number of daily cases Wednesday.

Denmark’s Statens Serum Institute (SSI) said Omicron was expected to become the dominant coronavirus variant this week. Almost 10,000 cases of infection were confirmed in the country in the last 24 hours, the SSI said Thursday.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredricksen said that cases were “very, very high” and that she had “no doubt that new measures will be needed to break the chains of infection.”

People line up for booster shots outside a vaccination center at London’s St. Thomas Hospital on December 15, 2021.

Meanwhile, the head of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, told lawmakers in Brussels that the Omicron coronavirus variant was set to become the dominant variant in the 27-nation bloc by mid-January.

In its latest risk assessment, published Wednesday, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) warned that there was a “very high” risk that the variant would spread further in the region, adding that it “is considered very likely to cause additional hospitalizations and fatalities,” beyond those already forecast from the Delta variant.

In the United States, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN Tuesday that Omicron would become the dominant coronavirus variant in the country “for sure” given its doubling time.

But, Fauci said, it’s not yet clear what that will mean for levels of severe disease.

On its website, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now estimates that Omicron makes up 2.9% of circulating virus, versus Delta’s 96.8%, as of the week ending December 11.

Too early to know if Omicron infection is milder

Data from South Africa is being scrutinized for clues as to how Omicron’s spread could play out elsewhere.

Studies add to evidence Omicron sneaks past vaccines but may cause milder disease

South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has struck a cautiously optimistic tone. “Although the data are still being gathered, the evidence suggests that the current wave may be milder,” the agency said.

A study released Tuesday by Discovery Health — a large health insurance company in South Africa covering 3.7 million people — found that vaccines provide less protection against the new strain, but gave indications that Omicron causes milder symptoms than previous variants.

Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine were 33% protective against infection overall but 70% effective in preventing severe complications, including hospitalization, the researchers said.

Meanwhile, the risk of ending up in the hospital from Covid-19 was 29% lower for Omicron infections in adults, compared with the original strain, the study estimated.

A resident registers her details at a Covid-19 mobile testing site in the Milnerton district of Cape Town, South Africa, on December 2.

But others are less confident. England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warned that UK daily Covid-19 case records “will be broken a lot over the next few weeks as the rates continue to go up,” and that this will translate into “big numbers” needing hospital treatment in the coming weeks.

“I want to be clear: I’m afraid this is going to be a problem,” Whitty said Wednesday. “(The) exact proportions of it, of course, South African scientists and UK scientists and scientists globally are trying to determine at the moment.”

More real-time data is urgently needed before scientists can start to evaluate the severity of Omicron infection in other populations, Head said.

In the UK, scientists will be looking at the impact of the variant on a population where 89% of the population aged 12 and over has received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and 44% of those aged 12 and over have had two doses and a booster, according to government figures. But the picture is very different elsewhere.

“In a lot of countries around the world there will be people who are unvaccinated or with one dose; across sub-Saharan Africa most people have not yet had two doses,” Head said. “So we need to look a little bit about whether there’s any protection, some protection … in those populations too.”

In South Africa, it’s possible that people already have some immunity to the virus — either through vaccination, previous infection or both — and that’s protecting them, according to Richard Friedland, CEO of the private hospital network Netcare. Multiple studies have shown that people who are naturally infected and then vaccinated have very strong immunity. South Africa’s population is also generally younger.

Vaccinations alone won’t slow Omicron

Health experts recommend that as Omicron spreads, countries continue to deploy the non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) that are already known to reduce transmission of airborne viruses, such as social distancing and improved ventilation indoors.

Why Europe’s fight against the pandemic is about to get much more dangerous

“Countries can and must prevent the spread of Omicron with measures that work today,” said Tedros, the WHO chief. “It’s not vaccines instead of masks. It’s not vaccines instead of distancing. It’s not vaccines instead of ventilation or hand hygiene. Do it all. Do it consistently. Do it well.”

Faced with what Prime Minister Boris Johnson described as an incoming “tidal wave” of Omicron infections, the UK government decided to “turbocharge” its campaign to administer booster jabs.

Johnson’s office cited data suggesting that “vaccine efficacy against symptomatic infection is substantially reduced against Omicron with just two doses, but a third dose boosts protection back up to over 70%.”

However, the UK Parliament also approved the introduction of Covid passes, that show proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test, for entry to nightclubs and large venues, despite a major rebellion within Johnson’s own party. Lawmakers also passed measures including mandatory mask-wearing in most indoor spaces.

South Africa’s Minister of Health Joe Phaahla called Thursday for “responsible behavior and stronger compliance” with Covid-19 restrictions to prevent a possible surge of cases linked to the holiday season, a ministry news release said.

Head said it was important to continue mitigation measures while ensuring that populations around the world, including poorer nations, get access to three doses of Covid-19 vaccines as fast as possible — which could still take another 12 to 24 months, he cautioned.

Demand for vaccines and testing may rise

The rise of the Omicron variant may encourage more people to get a booster — and cause a spike in demand for Covid-19 tests.

Delta plus Omicron spells trouble

As the UK threw open its booster program this week to all eligible adults, the NHS (National Health Service) website crashed due to demand for booster appointments, lateral flow test kits were no longer available online and long lines formed at vaccination walk-in centers. The UK Health Security Agency said Wednesday it was doubling the number of home testing kits it was sending out.

Denmark’s SSI also reported Tuesday that the country’s Covid-19 testing system was under pressure as infection rates rise.

Demand for vaccines in South Africa has not jumped since Omicron emerged. But South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, has urged his fellow citizens to get the shot. “Do everything you can and need to, to stay safe, beginning with vaccination,” he tweeted. Ramaphosa has been forced to delay his booster shot, his office said.

Despite surging cases, we may not see more lockdowns

There has been little talk of new lockdowns so far, despite concern over the rapid spread of Omicron.

Speaking during a visit to a vaccination center in Ramsgate, southern England, the UK Prime Minister said that rather than “locking stuff down,” the government is asking people to “be cautious” and “think about their activities in the run-up to Christmas.”

Johnson, who has faced a scandal over alleged Downing Street office parties in breach of restrictions last winter, added: “This is very different from last year because what we have is the additional protection of the vaccines and the ability to test.”

How South African scientists discovered Omicron and set off a global chain reaction

“I think scientifically at the minute there is a very strong argument for more interventions in place, but politically that’s less acceptable,” said Head.

However, countries “should be realistic that they may need lockdowns at some point,” he said — whether with this variant or a future one — as a lockdown “is a useful tool of last resort.”

Countries are still drawing on a range of other measures to try to curb the spread of the Omicron and Delta variants. For example, Norway brought in a ban on the serving of alcohol in restaurants and bars this week, in addition to imposing more restrictions in schools and speeding up its vaccination campaign.

But there also appears to be some degree of acceptance that people will have to learn to “live with” the new variant, especially where Covid-19 vaccination rates are high.

In Australia’s New South Wales state — where 93.3% of people aged 16 and over have been fully vaccinated — restrictions are being eased this week despite Omicron cases being detected.

“The virus is here, Omicron is in Australia and we are going to live with the virus and not let it drag us back,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told 4BC radio.

CNN’s Naomi Thomas, Virginia Langmaid, Maggie Fox, Niamh Kennedy, Vasco Cotovio, James Frater, Allegra Goodwin and Caitlin McGee contributed to this report.

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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — The Salvation Army Church in St. Kitts on Thursday December 16 started the distribution of 240 Christmas food hampers made available as a result of its Christmas Appeal Ministry this year, and thanked their donors, among them the Governor-General His Excellency Sir Tapley Seaton, GCMG, CVO, QC, JP, LLD.

“One of our regular donors, and the highest office in this land, is Sir Tapley Seaton, the Governor-General of this Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis,” announced Commanding Officer, Pastor Major Roxroy Campbell, at the food parcel-distribution function held in the church on Cayon Street in Basseterre

He added: “And so, from the top down to the last person in St. Kitts and Nevis, we have the blessing of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis, who reach out and say ‘yes’ to kindness, ‘yes’ to love, ‘yes’ to help others, and to help others in so many different ways.

According to Major Campbell, the church has an honorary advisory board that is headed by Mr Denzil Crooke. Over the years the board has been partnering with the Ministry of Social Services in the distribution of the food parcels beyond the outskirts of Basseterre to other areas on the island, and the arrangement continues this year.

The Salvation Army Church Ministry was started in 1904 in St. Kitts and while they have one church in Basseterre, they have seen the importance of going beyond St. Kitts and making distribution of food parcels in Nevis. They did it for five consecutive years with the Ministry of Social Services in the Nevis Island Administration but due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was not done last year and will not be done this year

“Using this platform, I want to give wonderful deep and profound thanks to our leaders, starting with Sir Probyn Inniss who has gone before us, and the Governor-General Sir Tapley Seaton, who have given sacrificially over the years to support the ministry of the Salvation Army in our Christmas appeal,” said Major Campbell

“The list goes on to the average person on the street who says I am making a contribution in thanksgiving to God to the Christmas parcels,” he added. “This year we will be giving 240 parcels and these will be given out to the persons here in Basseterre, and the rest of the communities here in St. Kitts. I am sure you want to say thank you Jesus, thank you to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis, thanks to the love that is seen and shared in the lives of people.”

The Christmas appeal ministry was launched at the CIBC First Caribbean Bank in downtown Basseterre by the Circus. That has been the tradition from the days when it was known as Barclays Bank.

The Salvation Army Church has also seen the need to help people on the streets, and Sister Rosita Browne, Sister Dianne Hunkins, and Sister Mayretta Crosse and others worked together two Saturdays ago and did some lunches that were distributed around on the streets, in Basseterre and other areas.

“Over fifty cooked meals were delivered and we want to do this again, another Saturday, and as we go along to make this a part of our ministry because the Salvation Army has always been described as a church with its sleeves rolled up – the church with rolled-up sleeves,” said Pastor Major Campbell.

In the meantime, Major Marjorie Campbell said that this year the Salvation Army put out kettles at the doors of major supermarkets, Rams in Bird Rock, Valu Mart, and also a few days were spent at Best Buy in Camps. In Basseterre, they placed collection kettles in two locations which encouraged persons to look forward to Christmas.

“We want to say thanks to everyone who is listening to us today, who have contributed to the work of the Salvation Army through the kettles – the red pots, the red boxes – that were placed on the streets,” said Major (Mrs) Campbell. “We know we have the pandemic and the Covid is around, but praise God although we have that difficult time, we were still able to get contributions towards the work of the Salvation Army and as at this morning we have over 200 food parcels for distribution.”

Major Marjorie Campbell also explained that they had a mail appeal as well, which gave members of the business community the opportunity to participate by sending their contributions to the Salvation Army, and in that way the church was able to do the annual Christmas Appeal work.

“We want to say thanks and as I said in my prayer, those of us who are receiving I hope that we are thankful for the people who have contributed,” said Major (Mrs) Campbell in conclusion. “Whatever the contribution was, we say thanks to everyone who contributed to the Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive 2021, and we will be here again if God spares us in 2022. Thank you and God bless you.”

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NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS– Mr. Devon Liburd, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA), is calling on vendors, taxi drivers and artisans to make their services available in order to reap the benefits of the tourism industry.

The NTA official’s appeal came as he gave an update on the 2021/2022 cruise and tourism seasons which run simultaneously from November to April each year.

“We are hoping that because of the changes in protocol, cruise passengers are now able to roam freely. So we should see a bit more persons walking through Charlestown visiting some of the shops, visiting some of the other attractions as oppose to just moving around in a bubble.

“So we are feeling very positive about the remainder of the season, and I want to encourage our taxi drivers, our vendors and other artisans to make themselves available so they can benefit from what will be happening in the cruise industry moving forward,” he said.

Liburd noted that the cruise season has been going well so far, despite some cancellations which he attributed to internal protocol issues faced by the cruise ships.

The largest vessel for the season, Azamara Quest with a capacity of 749 passengers, called on Nevis on December 14 after several hours of delay.

On Saturday December 18, 2021, the World Voyager is scheduled to make its inaugural call. The vessel will be the second of two inaugural calls to Nevis this season.

“Back in October we had World Navigator with us. World Voyager is a sister ship built in 2021 and they are going to be making their inaugural call on Saturday. Its capacity is just about 200 passengers but we are still grateful that they’ve decided to add Nevis on to their itinerary.

“World Voyager will be with us for two or three calls during the season so we look forward to having them,” Mr. Liburd said.

Meantime, commenting on the tourism season going forward, the NTA official explained that based on the projections of hoteliers and other stakeholders the remainder of the season looks bright.

“General feedback that we are getting from them is that the season is looking very favourable. We are getting the feedback that the holiday season looks very well moving into January, February, March. Persons are eager to travel. Persons are looking forward to capitalise on the relaxation of the protocols in St. Kitts and Nevis. So we expect the season, maybe not as high as what would have taken place prior to COVID, but we are headed in the correct direction.

“It is our hope that at the end of March/April we would look back and say it was a great season for us, and we’ll see things almost moving back to normal,” he said.

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