St Kitts and Nevis: PM Terrance Drew shares govt plans for student loan matter

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister of the twin-island nation of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, appeared on Freedom FM’s Issues Programme on January 25, 2023 (Wednesday). During the event, PM discussed a range of national interests, such as the issue of minimum wages, student loan matters and topics like water as well as electricity.

While discussing Student Loan Matter, PM Terrance Drew said, “We have a plan coming for a student loan, and as you know, we met the development bank in a mess, and we will update the public as to the audit of the development bank I want to say to the people no need to lose hope, the team there led by a board, a competent board and a competency on his team, they have stabilised the bank. The bank is now getting ready to start a student loan program.”

He added that there was no money left for the student loan program and, therefore, the government has to refinance that, but we have a plan, and we are working with the Ministry of Finance to make sure that our students have access to money so that they can go study and come back and play their trade and help to develop their country.

He furthermore highlighted the issue of minimum wage. PM Terrance Drew mentioned that a committee is coming together that would have been mentioned in the post-cabinet briefing if it was not; he just wants to update the people of this country that was a major discussion in St Kitts and Nevis cabinet deliberation and over the past few months and so it is going to address that as well.

“The issue of national health insurance I want to say that our adviser in health doctor Patrick Martin will present his first findings to the health management team which met recently, the new health management team which will transform healthcare in St Kitts and Nevis,” he added.

Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis also stated that with respect to the wage bill, what the administration has recognised, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, is that small businesses suffer. That is why it wants to build out the small business and also to diversify the economy to give people real viable opportunities to work in different endeavours that do not have to be inside the government.

In addition, he also said about the issue of energy and mentioned that it was clear that the generators were old or they were temporarily functional, which a troubled deal with was for the people. Prime Minister was quoted saying, “The government is also undergoing the process of renting generators while we are buying our permanent generators, which would cost around $35 million dollars each.”

In his remarks, Prime Minister added, “We are mostly focusing on buying two permanent generators for now, which can work both with traditional fossil fuels and renewable energy. Furthermore, PM Drew addressed the issue of water; he said that the government is taking into consideration its challenges along with the potential solutions to tackle them.

During the radio interview, he also stressed the goal of achieving green energy in future through enhancing the energy industry function and introducing innovative technologies into the country. Moreover, the achievement and milestones achieved by PM Drew’s governance so far, among which some were groundbreaking, on the other hand some were history-making.

“They are trying to provide equal opportunities and chances to the people of all ages irrespective of their religion and background or any difference there might be,” the prime minister cited, adding, “The people of St Kitts and Nevis will be in sync as the neighbours through such opportunities, and nobody should be left without getting their deserved chances.”