PM Harris extolls various key public officials for their efforts amid COVID-19

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris praised various key government servants and entities for performing an integral part in managing the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis functioning amid the peak time of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“As we look ahead to this important breakthrough in the opening up of our nation with a view to sustaining recovery in the COVID-19 era, I want to put on record the Cabinet’s sincere appreciation to several outstanding public executives for their effort to date,” said the prime minister on October 20 ‘Leadership Matters’. “I particularly want to appreciate those of our public servants who went past the call of duty to guarantee the continuation of Government at the onslaught of surviving the difficult period of the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

Dr Harris indicated on the stay at home order that was executed under the COVID-19 Emergency Powers Regulations to retain citizens and residents safe from the virus. He said that notwithstanding the lockdowns and curfews, “during the tough first months April to June 2020”, the performance of several departments were excellent.

“Allow me then to acknowledge the performance of the leadership of the Ministry of Finance who took the lead role in devising the strategy for running Government functioning and for their outreach attempts to different economic actors at a time of high uncertainty and fear globally, regionally, and right here in St Kitts and Nevis,” he said. “The unveiling of the stimulus package headed to a calming of the seas. Our COVID-19 stimulus plan is to date the biggest and the fittest one to be revealed anyplace in the Caribbean territory.”

He also acknowledged the Accountant-General Levi Bradshaw and the Treasury Department for “assuring that every week, over 4000 weekly-paid public sector employees were paid on time.” The remark was also made of the Head of the Payroll Unit and the Chief Personnel Officer, as well as the Chief Executive Officer of STEP and their crew for their outstanding performance and exceptional assistance.

The health care sector also got in for a commendation. Dr Harris regarded that Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Delores Stapleton-Harris and the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) “pulled very hard to guarantee the readiness of St. Kitts and Nevis by arranging the acquisition of vital personal protective gear, vehicles, the Cuban medical brigade and much more and surely for placing an effective public education and outreach programme to notify and teach the public regarding the dangers of COVID-19.”

The Ministry of Sustainable Development ought not to be forgotten as it proceeds to perform an essential role in “ensuring the continuation of payment” under the Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP). The prime minister symbolised that to date $23 million have been paid over the term January to September 2020, with an anticipated $31.1 million by year-end.

Uniformly important, the prime minister also recognized the Labour Department for being crucial in processing just over 700 severance claims to date; the Office of the Attorney General for its performance with the Emergency Powers COVID-19 Regulations that has retained citizens and residents safe and secure from COVID-19 above the last seven (7) months; the Government Printery for operating beyond the call of duty to prepare SROs gazetted;