St Kitts and Nevis: PM Timothy Harris increased budgetary support to Nevis in 2022

As per a recent message spreading on local media, Prime Minister Timothy Harris is being referred to as the best record of support to the people of Nevis and the Nevis Island Administration (NIA). The recent local media reports show that in 2022 the Harris led administration agreed with a request of the Premier of Nevis to increase budgetary support to the NIA from $45 million per year to the largest amount of $66 million, an increase of 46.6 percent.The government of St Kitts and Nevis, led by Prime Minister Timothy Harris, claims to make the following support programmes for the sister island of Nevis:

• The STEP workers assigned by the NIA to both public and private sector entities in Nevis
• The monthly stipend of $500 for every Nevisian on the PAP,
• Income Support to displaced workers in Nevis,
• The wages of those of the Peace Programme managed in Nevis,
• medications ordered by the NIA
• Wages, salaries and other operational expenses in maintaining Police Services in Nevis
• Wages, salaries and other operational expenses of the Fire Services Unit in Nevis
• Wages, salaries and other operational expenses of the Defense Force Unit in Nevis
• Payment of economic cost for Nevisians studying at the University of the West Indies
• Support for the participation of Nevisians pursuing studies at other Universities
• Fully meet the cost of membership of Federal entities to all regional and international organizations, thereby bringing technical and other resources to the islands of Nevis and St. Kitts,
• Meet double salary requests for every employee of NIA and statutory bodies proposed by the NIA for double salary,
• Pay millions of dollars in severance benefits to affected workers on Nevis and St Kitts
• Support requests of the NIA for assistance from financial institutions, including the SIDF, National Bank etc
• Willingly provided much other support and assistance to the NIA and Nevisians.

The government maintains that since 2015, support for Nevis has been instrumental. Prime Minister Timothy Harris stated that he ensured that a record sum of over $400 million of financial support had been made to the government and people of Nevis.