Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew has urged citizens to embrace unity and resilience as St. Kitts and Nevis celebrates its 42nd Independence Anniversary under the theme “Perpetual Progress – A Sustainable Future in View: Independence 42.” Delivering his Independence Day address Friday, Dr. Drew said the occasion honours the nation’s historic journey while reaffirming its mission to secure sustainable progress.
Dr. Drew stressed that nation-building cannot rest solely on government, but must be a shared responsibility. “It is not governments alone who build nations, it is the citizens – it is you, and it is me,” he declared. “Together, we are all responsible for the progress and prosperity of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
Drawing symbolic parallels between the priority his administration has given to physical development and national growth, the Prime Minister said infrastructure works reflect the spirit of independence. “Every lane we restore, every culvert we replace, every blacktop we lay is a piece of that freedom; practical, measurable, and felt,” he noted. “Independence is not a single leap from point A to point Z. It is a steady march, a prideful movement, and a road that continues beyond the horizon.”
Since 2022, the Drew-led Labour administration has introduced reforms and social programmes that the Prime Minister described as pathways to greater independence. These include two increases in the minimum wage, the introduction of pensions for Government Auxiliary Employees, financial empowerment through the ASPIRE Programme, more than EC $36 million in direct household assistance via the Budget Boost Wallet, and extensive infrastructure upgrades. He also pointed to advances in housing, water security, climate resilience, healthcare, and education as tangible gains.
Acknowledging global and domestic challenges such as imported inflation, climate change, and geopolitical uncertainty, Dr. Drew said the Federation faces them “not with fear, but with a strong resolve. Because we know who we are. We are a people who have endured; a people who have prevailed.”
He also underscored unity as the cornerstone of national development. “No road can be built if each stone resists the other. No house can stand if each wall pushes against the other. And no nation can endure if each citizen sees him or herself separate from the whole. Together, we are stronger. Together, we are safer. Together, we are freer.”
As part of the celebrations, Dr. Drew announced this year’s recipients of the nation’s highest honours, recognising exemplary service in fields including education, healthcare, sports, business, and public service. Among those awarded the Companion of the Star of Merit were Pastor Leroy Benjamin Sr., Dr. Jerome Thomas, Mrs. Lydia Thompson-Claxton, and Mr. William V. A. Hodge. Several others received the Medal of Honour for their outstanding contributions.
Reminding citizens that independence is “never finished” but a duty renewed by each generation, Dr. Drew closed with a call for partnership. “True progress lies in mutual partnership between state and citizenry. We are one Federation, travelling the road of perpetual progress. We know where we have come from. We know where we are going, and together, we will get there.”
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