BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, April 25th 2017 – Two years after taking office, the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity Government is yet to unveil a programme for the economic development
Leader of the Opposition, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas said Tuesday with the worst decline in the export of goods and service from St. Kitts and Nevis to the United States in 2016, since 2010, and for the first two months of this year, is an indication that the government did not have a roadmap prior to taking the reins of government in February 2015.
He said there is increased concern not only by the business community, but also residents that the government lacks a policy for stimulating economic development.
“We have seen a downturn in the economic prospects of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said Dr. Douglas, who pointed to the twin-island Federation’s registering the worst annual decline in 2016 in the value of exports of goods and services to the United States since 2010 and for the first two months of 2017.
“The government has failed to lead in the economic stimulation and continued progress of the progressive economy that the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party administration left two years ago,” Dr. Douglas told listeners to his weekly radio programme “Ask the Leader” on Kyss 102.5 FM on Tuesday.
He quoted from figures provided by the United States Census Bureau that stated that the value of goods and services exported to the United States from St. Kitts and Nevis for 2016 was US$49.1 million or EC$132.6 million compared to US$56.8 million (EC$153.4 million) in 2015. The export figure was the same in 2014 and 2012.
“It is also the biggest decline since 2010 in the export of goods and services to the United States which was valued in that year at US$50.6 million or EC$136.6 million,” said Dr. Douglas who said the value of goods and services exported to the U.S. was US$54.3 (EC$146.6) in 2013 and US$54.7 million (EC$147.7 million) in 2011.
He said the comparative analysis points to a serious decline experienced in 2016, a trend which seems to be continuing in the first two months of this year.
U.S. Trade Statistics indicated that the value of exports from St. Kitts and Nevis to the United States for the first two months of 2017 stood at US$7.8 million (EC$21.1 million), down from the US$8.1 million (EC$21.9 million) in 2016; US$12.7 million (EC$34.3 million in 2015 and US$8.2 million (EC$22.1 million) in 2014.
Dr. Douglas said the Federation’s light manufacturing industry must be stimulated to preserve the market and protect the jobs of the hundreds of workers, mostly women, who are the head of single family households.
“We (Labour Party) emphasise that the manufacturing sector has to one of those sectors which must be identified, focused and stimulated in order to bring ourselves out of the economic doldrums that the country finds itself in today,” said Dr. Douglas, stressing the need for a stimulation and expansion of the sector.
“In a situation where the Government does not seem to have a serious economic policy for our country, woe beyond to us. Woe beyond to the hundreds of young ladies who are on the industrial estates here in St. Kitts and Nevis and who continue to hold the balance with regard to the continued progressive improvement and expansion of the manufacturing sector as against continued decline and economic downturn,” said Dr. Douglas.
The former prime minister said the manufacturing sector needs to be stimulated and expanded and accused the Timothy Harris Government of lacking the foresight to do so.
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