BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — While congratulating the Catholic Diocese of St. John’s-Basseterre on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris has pointed out that the church has been an important partner in the government’s efforts at socioeconomic development of the country.

“The church is playing an instrumental role in the development of the country,” said Prime Minister Harris on Sunday January 17 at the end of a special Eucharist celebration for the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of St. John’s-Basseterre held at the Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral, East Independence Square, Basseterre.

“The church has been always an important partner in our efforts at socioeconomic development – adding value to the lives of people, providing inspiration, providing a sense of self, and a sense of place in their world,” noted Dr. Harris. “For all that the Church has done in the development of the people, we want to send heartiest congratulations of the Government and people of St. Kitts and Nevis to the Diocese on the occasion of its 50th anniversary and pray that it will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

Dr. Harris noted that the Catholic Church has a very loyal membership and a wide following, which has been a blessing in many respects. He pointed out that it has a very effective and strong social outreach which has helped in the area of education and has helped many people especially those who have been disadvantaged in one way or the other.

“We meet this morning to thank God for having been with this Diocese for the past 50 years,” said Immaculate Conception Parish Administrator, Father Lawrence Malama, who delivered the sermon. “We thank the Lord for keeping us, and we ask Him also to guide us as we begin again another year of proclamation of the Word.”

Father Malama told the congregation that with the celebration of the anniversary, the Diocese is celebrating the church’s contribution to the nation. He observed that many people in St. Kitts went through the former St. Joseph Roman Catholic School, and the St. Theresa Convent School, which have since been amalgamated to form the Immaculate Conception Catholic School. He noted that was one of the contributions made by the Catholic Church.

“We are involved in teaching, we are involved in hospitals, we are involved in so many areas,” he said. “We supplement what the governments do in so many parts of the world. We believe that it is not just preaching the Word. We also believe in action, being able to reach out to the poor people. There are many different areas that we reach out to. We take care of orphans, we take care of schools, we take care of hospitals, maybe we do not have a hospital here (but) one day we will have that hospital, God willing. This is how the church works.”

During the service, Father Malama blessed and prayed for Kenneth and Mrs. Dorothy Martin who are celebrating the 63rd anniversary of their marriage.

“My heartiest congratulations to them,” said Prime Minister Harris. “63 years is near a full life – given three scores and ten. For their marriage to have survived speaks of their character, speaks of their commitment to each other, and in life they are role models and they have become role models for citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis. I was happy to have been there to witness them, and to see them so lovingly together.”

Father Courage Dogbey recently of the Archdiocese of Accra, Ghana, who will be assisting Parish Administrator Father Lawrence Malama in the Parish of Immaculate Conception in Basseterre and the Parish of Holy Family in Molineux, read the message from Bishop Robert Llanos who is based in St. John’s, Antigua.

Ms. Shanise Hazel, President of the Parish Council, explained that the Diocese of St. John’s-Basseterre covers two independent countries, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitts and Nevis, and three dependent territories, Anguilla, Montserrat, and the British Virgin Islands.

The main Cathedral and the residence of the Bishop are located in St. John’s, Antigua, while St. Kitts and Nevis hosts the Co-Cathedral in Basseterre.

“We are the Co-Cathedral here which also has a seat for the Bishop,” said Ms. Hazel. “The Diocese is named after the seat of the Cathedral and the Co-Cathedral and so the other members of the Diocese, Anguilla, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands are part of the Diocese of St. John’s-Basseterre, which was established in January 16, 1971.The Diocese of St. John’s-Basseterre is part of the Province of Castries and the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC).”

Accompanying Prime Minister Harris for the celebratory mass for the Diocese’s 50th anniversary, which was also a celebration of the second Sunday in ordinary times, were the Minister of Human Settlement et al the Hon. Eugene Hamilton, and Deputy Speaker Senator the Hon Dr. Bernicia Nisbett. Also joining in the congregation included past and present teachers of the Catholic schools and their students, and parishioners.

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BURNLEY, England – The COVID-19 pandemic and extremely cold weather in the United Kingdom have motivated James Anderson, a kind-hearted plumber, to provide thousands of elderly, disabled and vulnerable individuals and families with essential plumbing and heating repairs at no cost.

Anderson told The Observer that after the pandemic began crews at his plumbing company have worked non-stop, seven-days-a-week, to provide no-cost emergency plumbing service to more than 2,000 needy UK families.

Many elderly and disabled callers were turned down after contacting dozens of plumbing companies that refused to help them because they were unable to pay for boiler and pipework.

Anderson explained that the callers had emergency situations; many had little or no heat; while others were without water due to faulty pipes.

When he received this type of call for help, he would dispatch one of his experts even though the person had no money to pay for their services.

On his Facebook page, Anderson said, “We have faced the fight with you and will continue to do so until the end, we will never abandon you.”

And he has. On his social media pages, Anderson describes how he helped disabled and needy people.

He said an engineer was sent to repair a leaking toilet for a “93-year-old young lady.”

“Water was leaking from her toilet, so it was an emergency,” explained Anderson. “The engineer repaired the leak and has ordered parts. He will return to complete permanent repairs on the toilet as soon as the parts come in.

“We are looking at expanding this with public awareness and making it available in as many cities as possible and as many communities,” said Anderson.

Fifty-four old John was referred to Anderson by his niece. He had found collapsed in his home and taken to hospital with pneumonia. He is now back at home where he lives in his living room chair. He is an unemployed music teacher on disability. The last time his family spoke to him he was in a coat and a sleeping bag trying to stay warm with an electric heater.

“He has kept his problems from his family because he did not want to be a burden,” said Anderson. “When paramedics came to his home they begged him to cooperate. Gladly he did, as I think it may have saved his life.”

Anderson began offering free services at the beginning of 2020. He said if he gets more public support, he will provide his services every year from December through March 1.

“We hope to be able to expand this and make it available in as many cities and communities as possible,” said Anderson.

More details about Anderson’s efforts can be found on his website at http://www.depher.co.uk.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The Police formally charged a male from St. Kitts for the offence of Rape. The offence occurred on November 30, 2020. The individual was charged on January 15, 2021 and has been remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison.

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WASHINGTON, DC — The Department of State is proud to support the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Operation Southern Cross as part of our efforts to build regional maritime security partnerships and counter illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the South Atlantic. The multi-month inaugural deployment of the new USCG Legend-class National Security Cutter, the Stone (WMSL 758), will strengthen cooperation and enhance security throughout the region.

In Guyana on January 9, the USCG Cutter Stone and the Guyanese Defense Force Coast Guard engaged in a series of cooperative exercises that support combatting IUU fishing, the first such operations conducted in conjunction with a new shiprider agreement ratified in 2020.

The USCG Cutter Stone will next partner with the Brazilian Navy on joint patrols, making port calls in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. The Stone will also visit Montevideo, Uruguay, the first visit of a U.S. Coast Guard ship in over a decade. For its southernmost stop, the Stone will visit Mar del Plata, Argentina for a ceremonial welcome by the Coast Guard’s sister service, the Argentine Naval Prefecture before the cutter returns home. An observer from the Portuguese navy is embarked on the Stone, supporting its crew and the Operation daily.

While underway, the USCG Cutter Stone will also perform the full range of USCG statutory missions as circumstances warrant. The Stone crew has already interdicted one go-fast vessel in the Caribbean, seizing over 900 kilograms of cocaine on January 7 south of the Dominican Republic.

The United States is a global leader in efforts to tackle IUU fishing, including through work in multilateral institutions to strengthen the rules governing international fisheries and bilateral engagement with the world’s coastal, port, and market States. The value of global capture fish production in 2018 was over $151 billion, and it is estimated that IUU fishing results in tens of billions of dollars of lost revenue every year.

IUU fishing jeopardizes global food security, destabilizes the economic security of coastal States, and violates state sovereignty by undermining international agreements and fisheries conservation measures. In the South Atlantic, we encourage our regional partners to be vigilant as we work together to protect the waters we share, and we urge our partners to both ratify and implement international measures such as the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures.

Operation Southern Cross is the Coast Guard’s first patrol to the South Atlantic in recent memory.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The Police have formally arrested and charged 35-year-old Tabari Roberts of Lower Thibou Avenue, McKnight for the murder of Lamonte Heyliger and Jahquan Merritt.

The offences occurred on January 11, 2021, at Lower Thibou Avenue. He was charged on January 15, 2021, and has been remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — An autopsy was performed on the body of 18-year-old Jahquan Merritt of Fort Thomas Road, McKnight on January 15.

Resident Pathologist, Dr. Adrian Nuñez concluded that Merritt’s death was as a result of severe head injury due to a single gunshot wound to the head.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — An autopsy was performed on the body of 19-year-old Lamonte Heyliger of Shear Lane, McKnight on January 15.

Resident Pathologist, Dr. Adrian Nuñez concluded that Heylinger’s death was as a result of hypovolemic shock due to multiple gunshot wounds.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — A three-member team of senior officials from the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) has expressed gratitude and commended the Coast Guard, the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, and the surgical team at the Alexandra Hospital in Nevis for their quick response in assisting one of their students who suffered significant injury in a shark attack.

The officials passed on compliments from the trauma team in the US to the medical team on the island. They said the surgery was comparable to anything that could have been performed anywhere in the US. They also said that the quick response prevented the situation from being far worse.
Commander of the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force, Lieutenant Colonel J. Anthony Comrie, thanked the team for its compliments. He said he was happy that the training which his officers received was put into action and glad they could assist the student.

The virtual meeting was attended by Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris; Cabinet Secretary, Josephine Huggins; Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws; Medical Chief of Staff at the JNF General Hospital, Dr. Cameron Wilkinson; Commissioner of Police, Hilroy Brandy; and Lieutenant Colonel, J. Anthony Comrie.

Prime Minister Harris expressed thanks to the RUSVM officials for their words of commendation for the high level of support and professionalism of the government team both at the federal level and the Nevis Island Administration.

Prime Minister Harris indicated that the strong bonds between the Government and the RUSVM will be further strengthened.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The Federal Cabinet in St. Kitts and Nevis is establishing a committee to provide advice on the implementation of Universal Health Insurance (UHI).

The move is the latest step by the government to introduce a robust insurance programme that would provide quality health insurance to the population. The initiative is a costly venture as estimates place the price tag between $143 million and $181 million.

“Consideration may have to be given to salary deductions from individuals,” said Eugene Hamilton, the Minister responsible for National Health Insurance. “In other words, how it is going to be funded, what benefits are we going to provide, when it will start and on what legislative framework will it stand. Those are the things which will come from a new committee put in place this year to ensure that Universal Health Insurance becomes a reality.”

The minister’s was commenting at the Prime Minister’s Monthly Press Conference on January 14. He said that the expectation is for UHI to be implemented shortly after the committee completes its work. The minister reminded citizens that the country and other nations around the world continue to grapple with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said it has influenced the measured approach being taken by the government.

“We are very cautious, we are careful, we are very deliberate in what we do in implementing Universal Health Insurance,” said Hamilton.

The enormity of introducing such a comprehensive and transformative programme was compared to other historical, landmark decisions such as purchasing plantation lands, introducing a Citizenship by Investment Programme, constructing the then Southeast Peninsula Road, known as the Kennedy A. Simmonds Highway, and establishing a Social Security Fund.

Minister Hamilton said these decisions were ahead of their time and have positively impacted the development of the country.

“Universal Health Insurance is in that category,” said Hamilton. He called on the public to fully support the programme.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Lindsay Grant, said his ministry is still actively pursuing the Ritz-Carlton Project. The Ritz-Carlton has been seeking to expand in the Caribbean region.

“What I can say with respect to the Ritz-Carlton is that we have been engaged with them for a very long time,” said Minister Grant during the Prime Minister’s Monthly Press Conference held at the National Emergency Management Agency Conference Room on January 14.

“I updated the Cabinet this week with respect to the Ritz-Carlton, and ongoing discussions and negotiations,” said Hon. Grant. “The Ritz-Carlton is a huge project; it’s a project that is destined to be over US $200 million and it is taking time.”

“Because of the pandemic, things have slowed, however, I am advised that very shortly we will be able to be in a position to come to the country and give some further details on that,” said Grant.

The Ritz-Carlton announced in 2018 that it will develop 10 villas and 15 condominiums that are sustainable and have responsible comfort in the St. Kitts and Nevis.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC is an American multinational company that operates the Ritz-Carlton luxury hotel chain.

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