The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has established an ad hoc advisory committee to review the Special Sustainability Zones (SSZ) Authorisation Act, as part of what Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew says is an ongoing commitment to transparency, sovereignty protection and responsible economic development.
On Thursday at his first Roundtable press conference of the new year, Dr. Drew confirmed that the committee met for the first time on Wednesday, 7th January, 2026, describing the discussions as “constructive and candid,” with members engaging openly on the purpose, structure and public concerns surrounding the SSZ legislation.
He said the review process will continue over the coming weeks, after which the committee is expected to submit a report outlining its observations, recommendations, and any proposals for legislative amendments or procedural enhancements.
“That report will be given careful consideration,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the process forms part of the administration’s broader approach to good governance and safeguarding the national interest.
Dr. Drew was emphatic that the committee’s work is not linked to any specific development proposal, including the much-discussed and rumoured “Destiny” project, which he noted has not been formally submitted for approval.
“This has nothing to do with any specific plan,” he said. “This has nothing to do with Destiny.”
Prime Minister Drew reiterated that the intent of the SSZ framework, which was passed into law last year, is to strike a balance between attracting investment and protecting the Federation’s sovereignty, Constitution and legal order.
“The objective of the Act is to become attractive for investment while protecting our sovereignty, our Constitution, and our laws,” Dr. Drew said, stressing that the legislation was designed specifically to prevent scenarios often described in public discourse including the creation of a “country within a country.”
He explained that the review will assess whether any perceived gaps exist in the law and, where necessary, propose amendments to close them.
“If there are any issues of sovereign encroachment, we want to deal with that,” he said. “There cannot be a court system outside of our court system. There cannot be a police force outside of our police force. Security must remain with our national police.”
According to the Prime Minister, the SSZ Act already provides safeguards requiring that any proposed development be subject to scrutiny and public debate before it can proceed, a deliberate departure from past practices where major projects advanced with limited transparency.
Dr. Drew pointed to the controversial prison development under the previous Dr. Timothy Harris-led administration as a cautionary example, noting that the public was informed only after key decisions had already been made.
He said that under that project, up to 25,000 citizenships were offered, with the details shielded from public scrutiny under the claim of “industry secrecy.”
“That cannot be done,” the Prime Minister said. “Citizenship does not belong to any individual or administration. It belongs to the people.”
In strongly worded remarks, Dr. Drew rejected recent comments by People’s Labour Party Leader Dr. Timothy Harris characterising citizenship as a “product,” describing such statements as a fundamental misrepresentation of national identity and sovereignty.
“Citizenship is not a product,” he said. “It is the highest office of any sovereign nation. It is sacred, and it must be treated that way.”
The Prime Minister argued that the SSZ legislation is already achieving one of its central goals — fostering open, national discussion around developments with the potential to significantly impact the Federation.
“I’m proud of what has happened here,” he said, pointing to robust public debate as evidence that the law is functioning as intended.
He assured that once the committee’s recommendations are received, his Government will not hesitate to return to Parliament to strengthen the legislation further if necessary.
“Even after we strengthen it, if there is something else that needs to be strengthened, we will go back to Parliament again,” Dr. Drew said. “Our country must be protected.”
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