BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, February 19, 2024 (MMS-SKN) — Prime Minister of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Hon Dr Terrance Drew, on Thursday evening February 15 joined residents of the St. Peter’s community at the well-attended Public Works Department’s Town Hall Meeting held at the St. Peter’s Community Centre.
The town hall meeting was held to discuss the reconstruction of the St. Peter’s Main Road and the F.T. Williams East Project, and as the Area Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher 8, the Honourable Prime Minister sat in the audience.
At the head table were the Minister of Public Infrastructure et al, the Hon Konris Maynard, who made a submission on pertinent issues relating to the highly anticipated project; Director of Public Works Department, Mr George Gilbert, who delivered the project overview; and Permanent Secretary, Mr Daryll Lloyd, who delivered the welcome remarks.
Invocation was led by Reverend Joseph Edmeade, while the questions and answers section of the town hall meeting was coordinated by Engineer in the Ministry, Ms La Reine Gumbs who was hailed by the Prime Minister as one who hailed from the St. Peter’s area.
The contract for the $31 million road project was awarded to Rock and Dirt Ltd, which was represented by its CEO Mr Alexes Hazel, who also gave details of the project and answered some of the questions raised from the floor. With him was the company’s General Manager Mr Michael Hazel.
“I want to thank the people of St. Peter’s for coming out tonight, and having a robust discussion about the development going forward,” said Prime Minister Drew after he was invited to address the town hall meeting at the end of the questions and answers section of the meeting.
“I listened keenly – I wanted to be here,” he stated. “I wanted to hear from you the people, to understand what is really going on, how to feel with respect to the development in St. Peter’s, and also as a resident of St. Peter’s, having been born here, grown up here, lived here, and of course I am very interested in the development of this community as much as you are.”
The Honourable Prime Minister praised the Ministry of Public Infrastructure noting that they have demonstrated that they have done significant amount of work which would rightly add credence to the statistics given which indicate that St. Peter’s is the fastest growing area in St. Kitts right now, coupled with the fact that the last census had demonstrated that it is the largest area outside of Basseterre.
“And while we construct a new road, we also want to make sure that we put other things associated with it to enhance the quality of life for the people of the area,” said Dr Drew. “That is why the contractor spoke about putting the sidewalks, so that the children walking to school and those people coming from church, walking from the Anglican Church on a Sunday can be as safe as possible on the sidewalk.”
He also told the attentive audience that while the St. Peter’s Main Road project is going to be a massive project taking place in St. Peter’s to really convert it to what they are calling the Great State of St. Peter’s other infrastructure has to be a part of it.
These will include the St. Peter’s Clinic whose work will restart shortly, and the tackling of the water situation, pointing out that the well in Cayon is being done and that it will have a positive impact on the water situation in St. Peter’s, to make sure that St. Peter’s gets what it deserves and it becomes a more modern community.
“I finally say that I encourage you to continue to stay engaged with respect to the development of your community,” the Honourable Prime Minister told the audience. “We expect to have more town hall meetings, not just politicians talking to you, but the people who are actually carrying out the work so that you can ask them tough questions – and they are well prepared.”
According to the Area Parliamentary Representative, without the participation and the input of the people the town hall meeting cannot be done as well as it could have if they (people) had not been involved, and thanked them for their valuable time and input as to how the government can develop St. Peter’s.
“I value that very, very much, and therefore I want to thank all of you for coming,” concluded the Hon Dr Drew. “I want to thank the Minister, who sounded like an engineer tonight and not a politician, and I think that the people appreciated that. I want to thank the other members at the head table, the Director and the PS, and to thank the contractor who is actually doing a significant amount of work in the area already.”
Also present at the town hall meeting included Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sustainable Development Ms Sherilita (Shez) Dore-Tyson, former Area Parliamentary Representative, Ambassador His Excellency Cedric Liburd, both who asked questions as residents of the St. Peter’s area, and Advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Austin Edinborough.
ENDS
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