PM Terrance Drew addresses key national issues at Roundtable conference

Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, in his recent round table discussion, interacted with the media persons and shared various initiatives taken by the government, to promote innovation, public safety, and economic stability across the nation. The press conference highlighted on several different topics including the budget boost wallet, updates in the Road traffic amendment bill, and development in the renewable energy sector.  

The conference began with PM Drew apologizing the media for being late for the discussion. While extending the apology, PM Drew stated that he went to attend the funeral of Malachi Ferguson, a young but multi-talented student who had passed away earlier this week.  

Updates on Budget Boost Wallet 

While interacting with the media persons the Prime Minister provided updates on various initiatives taken by the government including the Budget Boost Wallet which had been launched as a digital platform to help the citizens of St Kitts and Nevis. The project is aimed to tide over the situation that has been created in the nation, due to high costs of living created by the global market fluctuations.  

The Prime Minister said that over 20,000 people have already registered for this program under which they can buy essential goods from both large supermarkets and small local vendors at affordable prices. The digital platform that is being used to provide this facility to the citizens has been designed and developed locally and has garnered huge attention among the citizens. 

Clauses in Vehicles and Road Amendment Bills  

Dr Drew then discussed various clauses that have been added to the Vehicles and Road Traffic Amendment Bill of 2025, aimed at bringing down the fatalities on roads through strict actions against reckless and negligent drivers.  

The Prime Minister said that the national assembly has decided to increase the fines that will be imposed for reckless and careless driving on the national roads. He said that his government has set a Zero Road Fatality Goal by 2030 and the amendments that have been made to the existing rules will aid in achieving the same.  

PM Drew lauds national law enforcement agencies 

The Prime Minister also praised the national law enforcement agencies for the quick resolution of various crimes and hailed the drop in the number of homicides. He said that in a true collaborative approach, the law enforcement agencies had proactively engaged with the citizens to bring down the number of crimes and homicides in St Kitts and Nevis. He said that the government was approaching crime prevention by considering it from the public health perspective and ensuring that human rights are respected while dealing with criminals and their activities.  

Development of Renewable Energy Sector 

The Prime Minister also spoke about the efforts being made by the government in the field of promoting renewable energy. He said that the possibility of generating electricity through the use of geothermal energy was being explored further, and by switching to renewable energy, the nation can bring down its reliance on imported fossil fuels while ensuring a greener future for its generations.  

He said that the nation was quickly transitioning towards cleaner modes of transportation by adopting electric vehicles. To provide maintenance for these electric vehicles the government had also launched a training program under which youth were introduced to the various mechanisms of maintaining these electric vehicles.  

The Prime Minister said that the Nation was engaging and forging new global partnerships to enhance its presence on the world stage. 

The event was hosted by Press Secretary Javan Liber, during which the media persons engaged with the Prime Minister and discussed various strategies being adopted by the government to address the national issues.