Carib Scope

标签： Saint Kitts and Nevis

圣基茨和尼维斯

  • Nevis Geothermal Project Advances with August Drilling Target

    Nevis Geothermal Project Advances with August Drilling Target

    CHARLESTOWN, Nevis — In a major milestone for the Caribbean island’s quest for energy independence, Nevis Premier Mark Brantley has officially confirmed that the long-planned national geothermal energy project is on track to launch drilling operations by August 2026, following detailed planning sessions with the selected contractor, Iceland Drilling.

    During his regular monthly press briefing held Monday, Brantley shared that technical representatives from Iceland Drilling completed an on-site inspection of the project area last week, where they formalized their aggressive operational timeline. The firm has committed to full mobilization and the start of core drilling activities by the August target, a timeline Brantley says he is cautiously optimistic the team will meet.

    “During my discussions with the Iceland Drilling delegation, they laid out a clear, ambitious schedule to get all equipment and personnel in place ahead of the August start date,” Brantley told reporters. “Right now, their drilling rig is already en route to Iceland for necessary repairs and custom retrofitting, after which it will sail directly to Nevis to begin work. Getting this drilling phase underway will be a transformative leap forward for our geothermal development goals.”

    The updated project timeline comes as a much-needed boost for both the Nevis Island Administration and the broader Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, which is already facing growing economic pressure from skyrocketing global fossil fuel prices. These price spikes have been driven by escalating geopolitical tensions linked to ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with ripple effects hitting small island economies heavily dependent on imported energy.

    Brantley emphasized that ongoing global instability, centered on major oil-producing regions including the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, has created a sustained period of market volatility. Major global energy players including Russia, Venezuela, Iran and key Gulf Cooperation Council nations are all facing overlapping political and economic disruptions that have pushed crude oil and energy costs steadily higher. Brantley warned that Nevis residents should prepare for an extended period of elevated prices for fuel, electricity, and essential goods, as rising energy costs flow through every sector of the local economy.

    The current global energy crisis has underscored the urgent strategic importance of Nevis’ geothermal project for the entire federation, Brantley noted. The initiative is core to the government’s policy agenda to boost national energy security and cut longstanding reliance on costly imported fossil fuels.

    Brantley also pointed to the direct, tangible impacts of global conflict that are already being felt across Nevis’ local economy, pushing back against the common perception that distant geopolitical events do not affect small Caribbean islands. “Fishermen have no option but to raise fish prices because their fuel costs are climbing. Bus operators have to increase fares for the same reason,” he explained. “Too often, we see conflicts playing out on international news channels like CNN or BBC and write them off as distant problems that have nothing to do with us. But that’s not the case — the impacts of these tensions are felt right here, on the streets and in the markets of Nevis, and that’s a reality we all need to recognize.”

    The project update, delivered during Brantley’s scheduled Monday press briefing, confirms that Nevis remains on track to advance one of the Caribbean’s most high-profile renewable energy infrastructure projects this year.

  • Senior Minister Douglas highlights deepening engagement with Nigeria and new opportunities for national development

    Senior Minister Douglas highlights deepening engagement with Nigeria and new opportunities for national development

    Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis – In remarks delivered during a March 30, 2026 prime ministerial press conference with cabinet members held at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Denzil Douglas has outlined a new phase of strengthened diplomatic and economic cooperation between Saint Kitts and Nevis and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, highlighting tangible early gains and targeted future initiatives set to drive inclusive national development.

    Diplomatic ties between the two Caribbean and African nations stretch back more than a decade, marked by the official opening of a diplomatic commission in Nigeria’s capital Abuja in 2014. The latest step to advance cooperation comes with the recent appointment of a special envoy, a move Douglas says will bring greater structure and intentionality to joint efforts following a series of high-level diplomatic dialogues this year. The envoy will be tasked with advancing actionable initiatives born from these discussions, ensuring commitments translate to real benefits for citizens of both nations.

    Among the key sectors earmarked for expanded collaboration is the creative industry, a priority identified during the 12th UK-Caribbean Forum held in London just one week prior to the press conference. Douglas noted that unlocking investment and knowledge sharing in creative fields will not only drive domestic economic growth but also help Saint Kitts and Nevis fully leverage the economic partnership agreements it has signed with the United Kingdom and the European Union, as the nation continues to build equitable post-colonial partnerships with European states.

    Beyond creative economy growth, the bilateral partnership has already delivered immediate, tangible results addressing critical workforce gaps in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Following the Africa-Caribbean Community meeting held in Ethiopia several months ago, Douglas made a diplomatic stop in Abuja on his return journey, where he met with Nigeria’s foreign minister to discuss workforce collaboration. The minister connected Douglas directly with Nigeria’s international training and recruitment framework, and within just six weeks, a cohort of Nigerian medical and education professionals arrived in Saint Kitts and Nevis to fill critical vacancies. Today, those recruited doctors, nurses and teachers are fully integrated into the country’s public systems, serving local communities.

    Douglas emphasized that the appointment of the new special envoy will expand this successful model, opening doors for additional professional support to address ongoing technical and skilled labor shortages across key public sectors. This expanded support will in turn strengthen the country’s core public infrastructure and lay a more solid foundation for long-term, sustainable national development.

    The push to deepen ties with Nigeria aligns with the Saint Kitts and Nevis government’s broader strategic agenda: pursuing targeted international partnerships that deliver measurable improvements to citizens’ lives, strengthen domestic national capacity, and create new pathways for inclusive, sustained economic growth.

  • Consumers urged to reduce $28m arrears for water service as government expands supply infrastructure

    Consumers urged to reduce $28m arrears for water service as government expands supply infrastructure

    BASSETERRE, Saint Kitts – Just one day before the start of April 2026, Saint Kitts’ Minister responsible for water services Konris Maynard made a pressing public appeal to residential and commercial water consumers across the island: clear the $28 million in accumulated outstanding payments owed to the national Water Services Department, to support the government’s ongoing large-scale investment to improve universal water access.

    Maynard shared the unprecedented $28 million arrears figure during an address to the National Assembly on March 31, noting that the region’s lowest household water rates have created a damaging cycle of delayed payment for many consumers. Many users treat low monthly bills as an excuse to put off payments, a habit that adds up month after month until the outstanding balance grows so large that many households can no longer afford to clear their debt in one payment.

    “People think, ‘Water is so cheap, it’s only $20, I’ll pay it next month,’” Maynard told legislators, referencing the common attitude that has driven the massive backlog.

    To accommodate consumers facing genuine financial hardship, the Water Services Department has introduced flexible, customized payment plans that allow users to pay down their balance incrementally. Minister Maynard emphasized that the policy is rooted in empathy, not punishment: any payment, regardless of size, will keep an account active and avoid service disconnection, even if it does not cover the full outstanding amount. Consumers who owe arrears are strongly encouraged to reach out to department staff in person or online to arrange a schedule that fits their budget. Only accounts that remain unpaid for more than 90 days with no arrangement in place will face interruption of service.

    The appeal for arrears repayment comes as the current administration advances a multi-year project to restore reliable 24/7 water access across Saint Kitts, a goal it says was left unaddressed by years of neglect and inadequate planning under the previous government. Since taking office in 2022, the administration has allocated millions of dollars to upgrade the island’s water network: two new desalination plants have been completed and brought online, a new production well has been drilled in Cayon, new elevated water storage facilities have been constructed, and thousands of feet of aged, leaking underground pipes have been replaced. Currently, exploratory drilling is underway at a promising site in Saddlers, which could add more capacity to the national water supply in the coming months.

  • Agri Expo 30 a Landmark Success, Highlights Nevis’ Growing Agriculture Sector

    Agri Expo 30 a Landmark Success, Highlights Nevis’ Growing Agriculture Sector

    CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – March 31, 2026 – Three decades after its launch, Nevis’ flagship agricultural exhibition has cemented its reputation as a cornerstone of the island’s economic and cultural life, wrapping its 30th anniversary iteration with record turnout and widespread acclaim from regional attendees and participants.

    Held across March 26 and 27 at Charlestown’s Elquemedo T. Willett Park under the theme “Rooted in History, Utilizing Land & Sea,” Agri Expo 30 drew unprecedented participation that outpaced 2025’s event by nearly 70%, according to Nevis Island Administration (NIA) officials. The two-day gathering, designed to celebrate Nevis’ centuries-old agricultural heritage while highlighting its innovative, sustainable future, has grown far beyond a local showcase to become the premier agricultural event in the Caribbean sub-region.

    In his post-event remarks, Deputy Premier of Nevis and Minister of Agriculture Eric Evelyn lauded the exposition as an overwhelming success that exceeded all pre-event expectations. “This year the participation was at an all-time high. We had 147 registered vendors as opposed to 87 in 2025,” Evelyn noted, adding that the annual gathering has become a highly anticipated fixture not just for Nevis and St. Kitts residents, but for agricultural stakeholders across the Eastern Caribbean.

    The event drew official delegations and independent attendees from neighboring island jurisdictions including Anguilla, St. Martin, and St. Eustatius, a track record of regional engagement that Evelyn says confirms Agri Expo’s standing as the largest and most well-organized agricultural gathering of its kind in the sub-region. “I don’t think that anyone who would have attended Agri Expo 30 would have been disappointed in any way. The feedback has been extraordinary and once again we lived up to expectations,” he added.

    Evelyn also extended praise to the full team at the NIA Ministry and Department of Agriculture for their seamless execution of the milestone event. “It was practically seamless on both days, and so I want to say a very big thank you to the entire team… for going far beyond the call of duty to ensure that we have another hugely successful event,” he said.

    Beyond drawing crowds, Agri Expo 30 showcased the remarkable diversity of Nevis’ agricultural sector, with exhibits spanning fresh local produce, exotic fruits, ornamental plants, livestock, value-added agro-processed goods, and fisheries products. The range of displays highlighted the island’s unique agricultural identity, which draws equally from its fertile terrestrial lands and abundant coastal marine resources.

    To engage attendees of all age groups, the 30th anniversary expo paired its vendor exhibits with a full schedule of agricultural competitions, local cultural entertainment, and hands-on educational programming aimed at encouraging support for local production and domestic consumption of Nevis-grown goods.

    Marking 30 years of consistent operation, the expo stands as a public testament to the hard work, dedication, and resilience of Nevis’ farming community and broader agricultural sector stakeholders. Looking ahead to the next decade of the event, Evelyn emphasized that sustained public and private investment in agricultural innovation, infrastructure, and youth engagement will be critical to securing long-term growth, food security, and sustainability for Nevis’ agriculture industry, which remains central to the island’s community resilience and economic development.

  • Saint Kitts and Nevis strengthens tourism ties in UK and Europe through strategic engagements and partnerships

    Saint Kitts and Nevis strengthens tourism ties in UK and Europe through strategic engagements and partnerships

    As the global travel and tourism sector continues its post-pandemic evolution, small island economies are doubling down on strategic market expansion to capture a larger share of international visitor spending. The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is the latest nation to advance this goal, with a high-level government-led tourism delegation completing a landmark multi-stop mission across the United Kingdom and Europe in late March 2026 aimed at strengthening industry partnerships and growing long-term revenue.\n\nLed by Honourable Marsha T. Henderson, the country’s Minister of Tourism, the delegation included senior industry leaders Melnecia Marshall, Deputy CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, and Calvin Duggins, Chief Operations Officer of the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA). The mission kicked off in Birmingham, UK, with a targeted outreach event connecting the delegation with members of the local Saint Kitts and Nevis diaspora. During the session, representatives updated the expat community on major tourism sector developments across the islands and urged them to serve as informal brand ambassadors, leveraging their personal and professional networks to attract more European visitors.\n\nA key milestone of the UK leg of the trip was the official regional launch of the federation’s signature “We Limin” tourism marketing campaign. The initiative, which had already rolled out successfully in New York and Canada ahead of the UK launch, is designed to showcase Saint Kitts and Nevis’ distinct cultural identity and natural attractions to international travelers, while also encouraging diaspora investment and ongoing engagement with the islands.\n\nBeyond marketing and diaspora outreach, the delegation prioritized expanding the federation’s fast-growing cruise tourism sector, a core driver of annual visitor arrivals. In Italy, the team held productive strategic talks with senior executives from global cruise giant Costa Cruises, focused on exploring mutually beneficial opportunities including new homeporting arrangements and expanded joint destination marketing. During the discussions, Costa Cruises leaders highlighted the strong performance of Port Zante, Saint Kitts’ main cruise facility, which currently ranks among the top-rated ports in the entire Costa Cruises network.\n\nAddressing local reporters at the Prime Minister’s post-mission press conference held at the National Emergency Management Agency Conference Room on March 30, Minister Henderson emphasized that the core goal of the European talks was to solidify long-term relevance in a shifting global tourism market. “Our discussions were rooted in intentional relationship building,” Henderson explained. “We are working to secure our long-term positioning so that Saint Kitts and Nevis can capture greater value as the industry evolves, moving beyond our current role as a popular port of call to capitalize on emerging homeporting opportunities that deliver far greater economic benefits.”\n\nThe delegation continued this cruise sector expansion work in Germany, where they met with leadership from AIDA Cruises to explore similar collaborative opportunities to deepen ties and grow the federation’s visibility across the European cruise market.\n\nTo complement business-to-business partnership discussions, the team also carried out an ambitious regional media outreach campaign across the UK, completing more than a dozen interviews with major national and international media outlets. The interviews highlighted upcoming signature events on the islands, including the popular annual Nevis to Saint Kitts cross-channel swim. As a direct outcome of these outreach efforts, three European media outlets accepted invitations to visit the federation to cover the swim in person, with one reporter even participating directly in the event.\n\nEarly returns from the mission are already exceeding expectations, Henderson confirmed, with international journalists already on-island generating authentic, on-the-ground coverage of the destination’s attractions and events. The tourism minister also praised her delegation for their commitment to the project, noting that high-level international missions require significant preparation and time away from home, but deliver outsized benefits for the federation’s people and economy.\n\n“These engagements are not just about adding short-term arrivals,” Henderson noted. “They are about building enduring partnerships that will drive sustainable tourism growth, create new local jobs, and expand economic opportunities for all residents of Saint Kitts and Nevis for years to come.”

  • Food Security in Nevis Strengthened with Donation of Water Tank, Shade House and Storage Facility

    Food Security in Nevis Strengthened with Donation of Water Tank, Shade House and Storage Facility

    CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS – March 31, 2026 – Nevis’ ongoing efforts to strengthen domestic food security and build climate-resilient agriculture have received a transformative boost, following the official handover of three key pieces of agricultural infrastructure to local farming stakeholders. The donation package, which includes a 30,000-gallon water storage tank for the New River Farmers Cooperative, a 100-by-80-foot shade house, and a dry produce storage facility at the island’s Prospect Agricultural Station, forms part of a regional sustainability initiative led by three major global environmental bodies: the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

    The core mission of this cross-partner project is to strengthen environmental governance across St. Kitts and Nevis through widespread adoption of sustainable land management practices that align conservation, food production, and climate adaptation. At the handover ceremony hosted at the New River site, Merla Isles, President of the New River Farmers Association, emphasized that reliable water access has long been a critical unmet need for local producers grappling with a shifting climate.

    “With climate change making rainfall patterns increasingly unpredictable, it has never been more important to capture and store available water to sustain farming operations across our community,” Isles said. “This new tank will directly help us boost crop production and secure sustainable livelihoods for hundreds of farming households. We are deeply grateful for this investment, and we are committed to working alongside Nevis’ Ministry of Agriculture to properly maintain this infrastructure so it can serve our community for generations to come.”

    Beyond the water storage infrastructure that directly supports day-to-day farming, the two additional facilities at the Prospect Agricultural Station advance the project’s broader goals of integrating biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, and climate-smart agriculture into the federation’s core development planning. The large shade house, constructed adjacent to the Larinson Parris Agricultural Depot, will serve as a dedicated propagation space for native fruit tree saplings. These saplings will later be used to restore forest cover in regions of Nevis that have been degraded by years of soil erosion, hurricane damage, and widespread pest and disease outbreaks.

    Steve Reid, Project Coordinator with Nevis’ Ministry of Agriculture, outlined the long-term ecological and agricultural benefits of the shade house facility, noting that targeted reforestation will in turn support more stable soil and water retention for surrounding farmland.

    Honourable Eric Evelyn, Nevis’ Deputy Premier and Minister of Agriculture, welcomed the timely intervention, highlighting how the new infrastructure addresses pressing gaps in the island’s agricultural capacity. In particular, the new dry storage facility will solve a longstanding challenge for local producers, who have previously lacked adequate space to preserve and store harvested crops before they reach local markets.

    “These three new assets are part of the critical work being delivered through this partnership with GEF, UNEP and IUCN, and we are eternally grateful for their continued investment in our agricultural sector,” Evelyn said. “Thanks to this collaboration, we now have the infrastructure we need to store water for farming, propagate trees for landscape restoration, and properly store the fresh produce grown right here on Nevis. This is a game-changing step forward for our food security goals.”

    The infrastructure was formally handed over to Nevis’ government and local farming groups by a team of key initiative leaders, including IUCN Technical Officer Melvin James, IUCN Project Coordinator Nikita Brown, and GEF Programme Officer and Task Manager Dr. Christopher Cox, all of whom oversaw the design and implementation of the project on Nevis.

  • Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League welcomes Jamaica Kingsmen

    Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League welcomes Jamaica Kingsmen

    The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL), one of the world’s top professional T20 cricket competitions, has made a landmark expansion announcement on March 31, 2026, formally welcoming the Jamaica Kingsmen as its newest franchise. This official confirmation opens an exciting new chapter for cricket development across the Caribbean region.

    The newly launched Jamaica Kingsmen will carry Jamaica’s sporting legacy into the CPL, bringing a distinct new identity, renewed competitive energy, and a firm commitment to upholding high standards of excellence both on the cricket pitch and in community engagement off the field. The addition of the franchise advances the CPL’s long-standing core mission: growing the popularity of cricket across every Caribbean territory while centering the unique cultural identity and fan passion that makes each island’s cricket community special.

    Unlike any previous expansion addition to the league, the Jamaica Kingsmen is owned by a United States-based investment group headed by Fawad Sarwar, an industry leader who already owns a Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise bearing the same Kingsmen name. This cross-league ownership structure represents a meaningful milestone in forging stronger collaborative connections between major global cricket circuits and extending the recognition of the Kingsmen brand across elite T20 competitions worldwide.

    Pete Russell, Chief Executive Officer of Republic Bank CPL, shared his enthusiasm for the new addition in an official statement. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome the Jamaica Kingsmen into the CPL family,” Russell said. “Jamaica has long been a dominant powerhouse in Caribbean cricket, and this new franchise is a bold, forward-looking step that builds on that incredible existing legacy. The participation of an experienced, well-respected international ownership group only underscores the rising global appeal of the CPL as a premier T20 destination.”

    Sarwar, the lead owner of the new franchise, also shared his perspective on the expansion, noting that bringing the Kingsmen brand to the Caribbean is a distinct honor. “Jamaica boasts one of the richest cricketing heritages in the world, and it is home to some of the most passionate cricket fans on the planet,” Sarwar said. “We are fully committed to building a squad that honors that pride, competes at the highest possible level of the sport, and contributes to the ongoing growth of the CPL. We are excited to build something truly special for the people of Jamaica, rooted in the iconic Tallawah fighting spirit that defines Jamaican sport.”

    The “Kingsmen” franchise name was chosen intentionally to evoke three core values that align with Jamaican cricket: strength, pride, and leadership. These qualities have long been associated with Jamaica’s outsized impact on regional and international cricket, from producing generations of star players to shaping the culture of the sport across the Caribbean.

    The franchise will have its permanent base in Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, with the iconic Sabina Park serving as its official home ground. Sabina Park is one of the most legendary cricket venues in the Caribbean, with a decades-long history of hosting high-stakes international and regional matches, and it will now offer fans a dynamic, electrifying matchday experience for every Kingsmen home game.

    For the CPL, the addition of the Jamaica Kingsmen reinforces the league’s trajectory as one of the fastest-growing premier T20 competitions on the global cricket calendar. League organizers note that this expansion marks the start of an exciting new era for cricket, both in Jamaica and across the entire Caribbean region, as the league works to bring top-tier T20 action to more fans and grow the sport’s reach across the globe.

  • Government to Shield Citizens as Global Fuel Prices Rise

    Government to Shield Citizens as Global Fuel Prices Rise

    BASSETERRE, Saint Kitts – March 31, 2026 – As global fuel markets face escalating prices driven by external international forces, Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew has publicly committed that the government of Saint Kitts and Nevis will deploy targeted, proactive measures to offset price volatility and safeguard household living costs for the nation’s citizens.

    Speaking at an emergency cabinet press briefing held on March 30, Drew emphasized that small island developing states like Saint Kitts and Nevis are uniquely vulnerable to shifts in global commodity markets. Even minor spikes in international fuel prices ripple through every segment of the domestic economy, raising costs for transportation, food, utilities, and other essential daily goods that residents rely on. The prime minister made clear that the administration is fully attuned to the financial strain these price increases place on working families and vulnerable groups across the federation, and is prioritizing immediate action to reduce that burden.

    “We recognize that rising fuel costs directly translate to a higher cost of living for our people,” Drew stated during the conference. “This administration will leave no stone unturned to prevent that economic shock from hitting our citizens full force.”

    Drew drew on the government’s successful track record managing economic instability following the COVID-19 pandemic to frame its current response, noting that the administration has already begun rolling out interventions to shield the public from the full impact of the global price surge. Just as it absorbed significant public costs to stabilize household finances during post-pandemic market disruptions, the government will once again prioritize absorbing as much of the current price increase as possible to protect residents.

    “We will carry as much of this burden as we are able, just as we did in the years after COVID,” Drew said. “That commitment to standing with our people through crises has not changed.”

    This approach, he added, aligns with the government’s core people-centered governing philosophy, which has guided its policy choices since the height of the pandemic. When global supply chain disruptions upended local economies across the Caribbean, Saint Kitts and Nevis took on substantial public debt and reallocated national budgets to ease cost-of-living pressures for citizens, a strategy the administration is continuing today amid the fuel price crisis.

    Beyond immediate relief measures, the prime minister used the briefing to reinforce the urgency of long-term systemic change, noting that repeated global energy shocks highlight the critical danger of the nation’s ongoing reliance on imported fossil fuels. To build lasting resilience against future price volatility, Drew reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing full national energy independence as a central pillar of its widely supported Sustainable Island State Agenda.

    “These shocks will keep hitting us again and again until we achieve energy independence, until we build the sustainable island state that allows us to produce all the energy we need right here at home,” Drew explained. “That is the only way to insulate our people from global market volatility permanently.”

    Moving forward, the government will maintain continuous close monitoring of global energy market developments, and will adjust its short-term relief measures as needed to protect citizens, with a particular focus on supporting low-income and otherwise vulnerable households. At the same time, it will continue advancing long-term policy and infrastructure investments to build out domestic renewable energy capacity and strengthen the nation’s overall economic and energy security.

  • Over $80M invested in road networks across St. Kitts and Nevis, highlights PM Drew  – WIC News

    Over $80M invested in road networks across St. Kitts and Nevis, highlights PM Drew  – WIC News

    In his opening address to the press for the first quarterly briefing of 2026, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis laid out two core pillars of his administration’s current agenda: sweeping domestic infrastructure investment to advance people-centered development, and a new diplomatic push to deepen economic and cultural ties between the Caribbean federation and the African continent.

    Flanked by members of his Federal Cabinet at the briefing, Drew emphasized that the government’s policy agenda remains rooted in improving daily quality of life for citizens and unlocking broad-based economic opportunity. Two critical public works initiatives top the administration’s near-term infrastructure priorities: upgrading water access and expanding road networks across both islands of the federation.

    On water security, Drew confirmed that the government has allocated tens of millions of dollars to expand desalination capacity and upgrade aging distribution networks, framing reliable potable water access as a non-negotiable foundation for national progress. “No country can achieve long-term, inclusive success without guaranteeing its people consistent access to safe, reliable water,” he noted, adding that the upgrades form part of a broader national resilience strategy.

    For road connectivity, the prime minister revealed that more than $80 million has already been deployed to upgrade and expand the federation’s road networks, with additional investment planned for coming months. Drew stressed that these infrastructure projects are not standalone upgrades, but integrated components of the nation’s long-term sustainable island state development agenda. This framework guides every level of governance, from infrastructure planning and energy production to natural resource management and human capital investment, all aimed at building a resilient, future-focused economy for St. Kitts and Nevis.

    Beyond domestic policy, Drew detailed the outcomes of his recent trip to Abuja, Nigeria, to attend the Afro-Caribbean Investment Summit, a diplomatic mission he described as a key step in diversifying the federation’s global partnerships and positioning it to capitalize on shifting global economic trends.

    The summit yielded multiple tangible results for the small island nation. Drew confirmed that a new memorandum of understanding has been signed that will bring a major international film production to St. Kitts and Nevis in June 2026, a development that he says will help establish the federation as a leading regional hub for the creative economy. Notably, St. Kitts and Nevis also became the first country to secure formal access to a $2 billion U.S.-backed creative industries fund, opening new pathways for local creators to access financing, professional training, and global market opportunities.

    In a historic first for Caribbean-African connectivity, the summit delegation traveled via a direct charter flight originating in the Caribbean, marking the first time such a route has been operated. Looking ahead, Drew noted that formal follow-up mechanisms are already being arranged, including the potential appointment of a special envoy to advance the implementation of agreements reached during bilateral talks with Nigerian officials. Initiatives spanning trade expansion, cross-border investment, and cultural exchange were all discussed during the negotiations.

    The press briefing closed with an overview of the administration’s broader upcoming priorities, which include accelerating the transition to renewable energy, deepening regional cooperation across the Caribbean, and continuing targeted investments in core public infrastructure to support long-term growth.

  • Minister Maynard hails launch of historic renewable energy RFP for Basseterre Valley Solar and Battery Project

    Minister Maynard hails launch of historic renewable energy RFP for Basseterre Valley Solar and Battery Project

    On March 30, 2026, the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis marked a defining turning point in its clean energy transition with the official launch of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the landmark Basseterre Valley Solar Photovoltaic and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Project. The initiative, which includes a 50-megawatt solar facility paired with a 30.5-megawatt/30.5-megawatt-hour storage system, is being hailed by senior government officials as a transformative step toward the nation’s sustainable development goals.

    Honourable Konris Maynard, Minister of Public Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, described the RFP launch as a historic milestone for the twin-island federation during that day’s Prime Minister’s Press Conference with Cabinet Ministers. He emphasized that the project reached this stage only after formal Cabinet approval and a rigorous 12-month due diligence process, designed to ensure full transparency and rigorous planning from the outset.

    “This is historic, it is transformative, and importantly, it is very transparent,” Maynard told reporters. “This project will provide approximately 30 percent of our national energy needs, and we have gone about it the right way. We have engaged top-tier professionals to deliver every phase of pre-development work, from grid impact assessments to techno-economic analysis and global market sounding, to incorporate best practices and develop an optimal design for our national context.”

    Led by the St. Kitts Electricity Company Ltd (SKELEC), the project benefits from technical and legal guidance from a team of leading international advisors, including Castalia, ILF Consulting Engineers, GIDE, and Merchant Law. Once operational, it is projected to deliver three core long-term benefits for the nation: dramatically strengthened domestic energy security, reduced dependence on costly and carbon-intensive imported fossil fuels, and accelerated progress toward the country’s 2030 renewable energy commitments outlined in its United Nations Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

    Minister Maynard also laid out the clear procurement timeline for interested bidders: the RFP window is now officially open for a 90-day bidding period. After submissions close, the process will move to independent evaluation, final contract negotiations, and a projected construction start in the coming months.

    Beyond national benefits, Maynard highlighted the project’s potential to set a regional benchmark for responsible, transparent renewable energy development. “This is going to be talked about across the region as a best practice approach to our energy transition,” he noted.

    A core priority of the government’s approach to the project is ensuring broad local participation across all stages of development and operation. Maynard issued a direct call for domestic businesses, local entrepreneurs, and national residents to leverage the economic opportunities created by the large-scale infrastructure initiative, stressing that no local stakeholder would be locked out of the process.

    “I do not want this to be open to everyone, and then when it’s closed [people say] ‘well we do not know’,” Maynard said. “Whether you provide food services during construction, whether you operate a local contracting company, whether you can offer consulting expertise, whether you have existing solar sector capabilities, whatever your expertise, we have made sure that this project is open and available to the residents of Saint Kitts and Nevis.”

    Interested stakeholders, both international and domestic, can access full RFP documentation and register to participate through the official bidder portal. Local contractors and independent domestic investors seeking to participate have dedicated registration pathways to signal their interest, designed to lower barriers to local engagement.

    When completed, the Basseterre Valley Solar and Battery Project will not only deliver a critical chunk of the nation’s electricity demand to support a cleaner, more resilient and self-sufficient energy system, it will also create widespread economic opportunities that benefit communities across Saint Kitts and Nevis.