Prime Minister: Women Have Carried St Kitts and Nevis Through COVID-19

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Mar 16, 2021, 08:59 ET

LONDON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of International Women's Day, Dr The Hon. Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, said he is proud of advancing women's rights and gender equality in his nation. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, there were more women in the workplace than at any time in the Federation's history. According to a government report published in 2019, the five main areas of progress for gender equality in St Kitts and Nevis comprise education, social protection measures, steps to address violence against women and girls, gender sensitisation training, and the launch of a national Gender Equality Policy and Action Plan.

Recently, an international organisation noted that women in the Caribbean were hit especially hard by the crisis that caused significant exits from the workforce and demands for unpaid care. Taking these trends into consideration, Prime Minister Harris expressed his commitment to creating more opportunities for women.

"We have created those jobs and those opportunities before – and we will do it again," he said. The Federation is expected to witness a 5.5 percent economic growth in 2021.

With the theme for this year's UN International Women's Day being "Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world", the Prime Minister recognised the leadership role women play in COVID-19 management and response. "Our Health Minister is a woman. Our Chief Medical Officer is a woman. Our Financial Secretary is a woman. Our Cabinet Secretary is a woman. Our Chief Personnel Officer is a woman. Permanent Secretaries in Health, Tourism, Sports, Culture, ICT, Talent Development and Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Development, Legal Affairs, etc., are all women. Most of our Ambassadors are women," he said.

"Our nurses. Our front-line workers. Our caregivers. All these occupations are made up predominantly of women. It is their leadership and their commitment to the front line that is keeping us safe."

Thanks to the endeavours of women on the front-line and the country's targeted use of Citizenship by Investment (CBI) funds in the healthcare sector, there have been no casualties in St Kitts and Nevis due to COVID-19. Furthermore, transitioning into the reopened economy was made more accessible due to CBI supporting many who lost their jobs through monthly stipends during the lockdown.

Of all CBI programmes, St Kitts and Nevis remains a popular choice for investors seeking a second citizenship. Its longevity within the investment migration realm has been hailed as the industry's Platinum Standard brand. Applicants who pass the necessary security checks unlock access to visa-free travel to 156 destinations, the right to live, work and study in the nation and build a legacy by passing down citizenship for generations to come. Economic citizens also gain access to higher quality services from education to healthcare.

Under an extended offer, families of up to four can contribute US$150,000 instead of US$195,000 to the Sustainable Growth Fund and become economic citizens. The contributions made by women in St Kitts and Nevis are "irremovable from our place as the best run, best managed small island state anywhere in the world; and one of the best places to live on this planet," the Prime Minister acknowledged.

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SOURCE CS Global Partners