Photo Cabinet members attending the first Cabinet Press Conference (left to right) – Hon. Nigel Carty, Hon. Glen Phillip, Hon. Dr. Earl Asim Martin, Hon. Marcella Liburd, Hon. Patrice Nisbett and Hon. Jason Hamilton.
(Photo by Erasmus Williams)
The date has been set for the next Cabinet Press Conference.Minister of Information, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty said Thursday the next Cabinet Press Conference will be held on Wednesday 20th March 2013.He said it will begin at 9:30 A.M. in the Parliamentary Lounge, Second Floor, Government Headquarters.
It will be the second Cabinet Press Conference since the introduction of this new feature in January.
At the first briefing, members of the St. Kitts and Nevis Federal Cabinet broke months of silence regarding relations within the Cabinet.
In a Joint Statement, newly-appointed Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Earl Asim Martin said there has been much public speculation and debate in recent months on a range of topics, many of them having to do with relationships within the Cabinet.
"We have chosen, until now, to remain silent because we took a conscious decision as a cabinet not to engage our colleagues in the public domain since that could not be in the best interest of our Party and Government. The back and forth exchanges in the media among members of the same cabinet could only serve to create an air of instability, which is what some would wish for. Secondly, we had hoped that our differences could have been resolved amicable after numerous attempts to do so," said Dr. Martin.
Dr. Martin said Cabinet members have chosen to forge ahead with the construction of low income homes for those in need, to pave and resurface roadways, to aggressively pursue tourism development, to upgrade water lines, and to put people to work in a tough global economic climate.
"We, as members of Cabinet, each have our distinct portfolios. At the same time, however, we are keenly aware that we are members of one Government. One Cabinet. With one over-riding purpose – to constantly strive to make St. Kitts and Nevis ever more secure, ever more prosperous. In a nutshell, to expand opportunities for the people of this country," said Dr. Martin.
"In Cabinet, we understand that unanimity is not always possible. And so we understand and embrace the ethos of collective responsibility. Within this context, we, with diligence and commitment, attend to the nation’s business and, along with Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, we meet the important responsibilities that are now ours, with the very best interests of our nation at heart," said Dr. Martin at the time.
The St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Administration of Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has a solid track record of transparency, accountability and good governance.
Since taking office in July 1995, the Government has upgraded the St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service (SKNIS); introduced the Communications Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister (CUOPM), the Prime Minister’s monthly press conference, the weekly radio programme "Ask the Prime Minister,"; Cabinet Briefings, Town Hall Meetings and the annual Face to Face.