Pass The Buck To Students for High Cost Of Living

It is very frustrating to hear St. Kitts officials point out that food prices are rising across the Caribbean. This is not the appropriate response.

This is NOT the correct answer when 1 in 3 individuals in St Kitts and Nevis are poor.

The depth of this irresponsible statement is by the fact that we the young people are the poorest in the Federation. Poverty is highest among individuals under the age of 25 with a higher proportion of women living in poverty than men.

Worse yet this 2000 UNDP poverty assessment stands 8 years before rising food prices now further impact our condition.

Students are poor almost by definition. Either we are poor while attending school or poor while trying to pay the debt we accumulate after going to study.

But the buck still falls on students in St Kitts and Nevis, when officials pass off responsibility for rising food prices to a Caribbean experience.

A good example is carnation milk in St. Kitts. After weeks of shortage at the grocery we see the price increase to $2.00 per can. For years the price was controlled by the government and should have remained so. Students don’t have to think long to know how we will feel this difference. Every one of us remembers how that bowl of cereal would have to do the job while short on money at school. And those of us who have graduated from cereal for dinner will see the difference in every food that uses milk; after work we might have to get 1 raisin roll instead of 2, since we are still poor while paying debt after going to study.

Think about the difference for single mothers and fathers giving their children milo and porridge in the morning. Not to mention how all our grandparents love a hot ovaltine! For years the price of milk was controlled by the government and should have remained so.

But there could NOT be a real shortage if Nevis had milk and enough milk to ship supplies to St. Kitts.

The Nevis Island Administration’s attention to food security must be commended; this is a good example to argue that Nevis should have more Federal seats to allow better government decision-making for all of us.

In fact NIA’s prudence to provide milk for St Kitts and Nevis should impress upon Dr. Timothy Harris, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Unless Nevis’ achievements are to receive no mention from St. Kitts (as usual).


Even more is to be desired after Minister Harris’ comment on radio this past weekend about Sen. Obama’s Democratic nomination. This official pointed out that while it was no small achievement “the truth is that to date there has been no real comforting statement as far as foreign policy implications for the Caribbean region under an Obama’s presidency is concerned”

To avoid the nomination having only what he called “emotional significance” Minister Harris went on to say that it prompted him to write a letter to Sen. Obama.

This is NOT the correct answer.

There is a reason why no other leader in the Federation made such a statement in the radio segments that followed Harris’ comment. This is because the historic moment is yet to be fully appreciated. The NRP’s Dwight Coizier and CCM’s Mark Brantly from Nevis-based political parties as well as PAM’s Lindsay Grant in St. Kitts recognized this moment and rightly joined the chorus of applause and admiration for Sen. Obama’s nomination.

It is NOT the appropriate response for Minister Harris to glide over congratulatory remarks in favor of the usual longwinded statement. Worse then is it for Minister Harris to expect that during state primary elections the Obama campaign would offer Caribbean foreign policy implications.

There is also a reason other Ministers of Foreign Affairs across the Caribbean did not join Minister Harris to detract from Obama’s Nomination as mere “emotional significance”

Since this fact is known by the other Ministers of Foreign Affairs and since Sen. Obama has little time to waste the answer is this Minister Harris; After 911 the Caribbean region has again taken on strategic significance for the US as it had during the Cold War. Therefore USAID has amplified strategic support to the Caribbean and this existing structure is already in place for the next US president.

It doesn’t take all the letters behind Minister Harris’ name to know this. Even as the Minister’s comment better shows a thinly veiled desire to be verbose, Harris’ comment is an embarrassment to our Foreign Affairs and detracts from the historic moment we all now share.

Dr. Harris would do well to note that young people make Obama’s campaign forceful, especially students just like us.

Before Dr. Harris detracts from Sen. Obama’s historic campaign, Nevis’ generosity to provide milk for food insecurity in St. Kitts should hold attention. Dr. Harris would also do well to note that such food insecurity removed Haiti’s Prime Minister from office not too long ago this year.

Haiti’s young and poor people will tell you that Passing the Buck/Responsibility is NOT the answer.

Opposition Political Parties, you have therefore provoked our interest -

SKN Students Engage Opposition CCM Leader Hon. Mark Brantley:

The Nevis Island Administration demonstrated prudence, which allowed Nevis to provide the people of St Kitts with milk when the St Kitts government failed by poor decision-making to provide us such food security.

Yet with 1 in 3 individuals poor in the Federation, and with this poverty highest among individuals under the age of 25, what is CCM’s answer to avoid the burden of high cost of living to students in St Kitts and Nevis?

On the radio you sent congratulations to Sen. Obama and made an appeal that a similar style of conciliatory politics would take place in the Federation. Is CCM’s answer to have more seats at the Federal level for Nevis?


SKN Students Engage Opposition PAM Leader Hon. Lindsay Grant:

With 1 in 3 individuals poor in the Federation, and with this poverty highest among individuals under the age of 25, what is PAM’s answer to avoid the burden of high cost of living to students in St Kitts and Nevis?

On the radio you sent congratulations to your former schoolmate Sen. Obama and success in the upcoming Presidential Election. It is young people that make Obama’s campaign forceful, especially students like us. What is PAM’s answer when the St Kitts government’s failure first led to no milk available in St. Kitts and now an increased price for milk, a product which should have remained under price control for students and the poor in general?


By This Concern, We Vociferate
SKN Students Engaged
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