Last Updated on February 11, 2022, 3:37 PM AST by Anthony Morris
The tourism sector, which remains the backbone of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis’ economy, was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, but it is on the mend, according to Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Hon Timothy Harris.
“The tourism sector is showing signs of recovery,” Dr Harris remarked on Thursday, February 10 at the NEMA Conference Room in Lime Kiln, West Basseterre, where he convened the first Prime Minister’s Press Conference of the year. People routinely see the comeback by the seaside in Basseterre at Port Zante, he said. At the time of the press briefing, four cruise ships were docked in Port Zante.
While not quite at the level of the 2018-2019 season, Prime Minister Harris noted that the 2021-2022 cruise season is off to a promising start, given the Federation’s ability to live with Covid and the restrictions placed on cruise travel by the Centers for Disease Control in the United States and other governments to protect their citizens.
According to the Honourable Prime Minister, the cruise season normally begins in October and ends in September the following year, with a peak and a lull in between. Mrs Carlene Henry-Morton, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, was present at the Prime Minister’s Monthly Press Conference.
Deputy Prime Minister Shawn Richards, Minister of Environment and Cooperatives Eric Evelyn, Minister of Human Settlements et al Eugene Hamilton, and Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Vincent Byron Jr. joined him at the head table.
“Turning to air arrivals, I am informed that we had 6,683 people arrive in the Federation in January 2022, an increase of 5,324 over the 1,350 passengers registered in January 2021,” the Prime Minister remarked. “Of course, we were in the midst of a community-related outbreak in January of 2021, so according to the data provided by St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA), we are off to a respectable start.”
Minister of Health et al, Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett, Minister of International Trade, Industry, Commerce, Consumer Affairs and Labour, Hon Wendy Phipps, Deputy Speaker Senator the Hon Dr Bernicia Nisbett, Ambassadors, His Excellency Michael Powell and His Excellency Sydney Osborne, Chief Medical Officer Dr Hazel Laws, and other senior government officials were also in attendance at the press conference.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
