Nevis Island Premier – Joseph Parry
Charlestown, Nevis
October 19,2010
Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Joseph Parry has urged Nevisians living in Canada to take an active role in the development of Nevis.
The Hon. Joseph Parry made the appeal as he addressed a Town Hall meeting at the Herbert Carnegie Centennial Centre in Canada on Sunday evening.
He used the opportunity to report on the record of achievement of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP)”“led Government over the last 4 years and to outline and illustrate the projects and programs in areas such as housing, roads, water, renewable energy, education, health, crime prevention, social development, agriculture and investment promotion.
During the presentation by Premier Parry, he noted all of the steps that his government had taken over the last year and as a result of those decisions, they have facilitated the reopening of the Four Seasons Resort by December 15th, 2010.
“I have been very proactive with ensuring that the Four Seasons gets back on track quickly, as the original owners abandoned the property. The villa homeowners along with the Government of Nevis were joined in a petition to the courts in Delaware, United States and we acted quickly. A lawyer was hired by the Nevis Island Administration was crucial to the outcome of the case which threw out the bankruptcy proceedings,” the Premier disclosed.
In addition, while some wanted to purchase the property and give it a different brand, Premier Parry insisted in his negotiations that the property remained with the luxury brand name of Four Seasons Resort which has become synonymous with the island of Nevis.
He also mentioned that his NRP led Government along with the Four Seasons team have negotiated the resumption of the American Eagle flight from San Juan to Nevis. Premier Parry then announced that he is negotiating for the flight to depart San Juan at a later time that would facilitate travelers from the West-Coast.
Junior Minister, Hon. Dwight Cozier addressed topics such as Small Businesses and Trade Promotion in Nevis, while highlighting all that the government has done to assist small business owners. This includes giving concessions and duty-free assistance.
The Premier opened the floor for persons to ask their questions, raise any of their concerns, share suggestions, and ideas.
During the 60-minute question and answer period, nationals commended the government for achieving so much in such a short period of time. Questions were asked about the implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT), the Government’s plans to reduce the debt and what plans the Government had if any for the recruiting of persons residing abroad who have special skills that would help in the further development of Nevis.
Premier Parry concluded his visit to Canada on Sunday and will hold similar meetings with nationals living in Washington, D.C. at 7:00pm on Tuesday evening at the Hilton Silver Spring hotel.