SKN: PM & OECS chairman Dr Terrance Drew addresses health as an essential issue for nation’s development

St Kitts & Nevis Prime Minister and Upcoming chairman of the OECS, Dr Terrance Drew, highlighted health as an important sector that needs attention for the nation’s development while addressing the Flag raising ceremony and opening ceremony of the 73rd Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States, commemorating its 42nd Anniversary at the Zuliani roundabout in Frigate Bay.

Prime Minister and Upcoming chairman of the OECS, Dr Terrance Drew, participated in the Flag raising and opening ceremony of the 73rd Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States, commemorating its 42nd Anniversary and addressed several issues which need to be considered to undergo the individual’s social and economic growth.

While addressing the OECS ceremony at the Zuliani roundabout in Frigate Bay, Prime Minister addressed health as one of the significant aspects that must be considered. He shared that history teaches us that global growth and social stability came about when modern nation-states developed the capacity to reduce the disease burden and keep their citizens in good health.

Prime Minister Dr Terrance, while addressing health as a significant challenging issue in the social and economic growth of the individual, also ensured to work effectively towards the health sector and provide health benefits to every OECS, “This imperative of good health remains the same for the people of the OECS. We now fully understand and must therefore prepare for the next global pandemic and its far-reaching consequences coupled with NCDs hurting our region,” he added.

Furthermore, Dr Terrance also expressed his view to harmonizing the health policies and treatment protocols and maximizing the health care resources by providing excellent health care centres for the OECS. In that way, no single country would be burdened to provide every service for every citizen, and costs and benefits would be shared across the union.

The Prime Miniter also stressed the importance of Mental Health by highlighting the Covid 19 phrase, which has hugely impacted the mental, emotional, social and financial aspects that were negatively affected and have led to several global conflicts.

The Prime Minister also emphasized several serious issues that needed to be addressed urgently and highlighted issues such as inflation, labour market changes, and geopolitical threats faced by small island developing states and remarked on the importance of modern technologies, resilient infrastructure, and economic opportunities in developing the citizens of the region.

Following that, the Prime Minister expressed his gratitude and pleasure to the delegates invited to the OECS Ceremony, included several notable persons, including Dr Didacus Jules, Director-General of the OECS, Dame Marcella Liburd, Governor General of St Kitts and Nevis, Prime Ministers and Ministers of the OECS Authority, Dr Sir Kennedy Simmonds, Permanent Secretaries and senior government officials, Members of the Nevis Island Administration, Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps, students and other guests for keeping their faith in him as a chairman of the OECS, and also thanked them in advance for keeping up their vision of the sustainable development of the Caribbeans.

He stated, “I stand here tonight ready to be the Chairman of the OECS, being supported by other leaders of government across the OECS whose support would be instrumental in making sure that my chairmanship over the next year is successful.”