BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, CMC – St. Kitts and Nevis celebrates 42 years of Independence under the theme “Perpetual Progress – A Sustainable Future in View: Independence 42.” During an address to the nation, Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew said the nation’s journey is much like a road, built stone by stone, shaped by sacrifice, and guided by vision.
“Independence as we know it is more than a date on the calendar; it is a living journey. It is the steady progress of a people determined to stand tall, to walk their own road, and to build a future worthy of generations to come. Today, on the 42nd anniversary of Independence, I stand on the newly reconstructed main road in St. Peter’s with the wind at my back and the wider St. Kitts and Nevis in view. Beneath my feet is new asphalt, newly laid, smooth, and sure. Around us, you can see the careful grading of verges and fresh road markings, the drains that carry flood water safely to sea, the connecting sidewalks, and the lights that make the night safer for all.
The roads we build, not just in St. Peter’s but throughout St. Kitts and Nevis, across the network of rehabilitated and upgraded corridors that now move our people and our economy more safely and efficiently, are the routes by which Independence becomes real in the lives of ordinary people. Every lane we restore, every culvert we replace, every blacktop we lay is a piece of that freedom, practical, measurable, and felt.”
The Sustainable Island State Agenda, which the Drew-led administration is leading the charge on, was the focus of the address, where Drew touted the efforts being made in the Federation to achieve sustainability.
“As our theme this year suggests, perpetual progress, a sustainable future in view, Independence is not a single leap from point A to point Z. It is a steady march, a triumphant movement, and a road that continues beyond the horizon. But nation-building is never only about the journey, as roads must lead somewhere. They must connect to a larger design, an economy that works, services that deliver, institutions that protect, and a shared vision that lifts us higher together.”
The Prime Minister outlined various projects his administration has accomplished since taking office, which include the expansion of water infrastructure, road rehabilitation, renewable energy initiatives, and other capital projects.
The Prime Minister acknowledged the impact of geopolitical challenges and climate change but suggested that the Federation has the resolve to persevere.
“Our Federation still faces the impact of unprecedented challenges primarily compounded by external factors. We fear the effects of the increased cost of living triggered by imported inflation, given that we are a small, open economy. The vagaries of climate change, leading to extreme weather events such as droughts, cause decreased availability of water, and the global geopolitical uncertainties of our time. Yet we face them not with fear, but with a firm resolve. Because we know who we are. We are people who have endured, a people who have prevailed. My brothers and sisters, Independence calls us to unite.
It calls us to look beyond what divides us, and to focus on what binds us. No road can be built if each stone resists the one next to it. 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 free. Forty-two years may seem short in the life of nations, but in those four decades we have travelled far.”
“From a young nation finding its footing to a confident federation charting its future, St. Kitts and Nevis has proven that progress is possible. With determination and commitment, we can walk our own path and build our own destiny. And yet, my fellow citizens, Independence is never finished. It is the responsibility of each new generation. As we look toward the horizon, let us imagine and continue to reimagine a St. Kitts and Nevis of tomorrow. A nation where we define ourselves. A nation where every child, regardless of background, has the right and opportunity to learn, to achieve, and to contribute. A nation where families live securely in homes that are safe from storms and affordable to maintain. A nation where our streets and communities are free of violence, and our young people see opportunities rather than despair. A nation where we harness the sun, the wind, the sea, and the volcano to power our homes, our schools, and our industries. A nation that welcomes investment, nurtures creativity, and shares prosperity across every village and every parish. This is the road we must walk together.”
With incomplete projects and major ones not yet started, the Prime Minister said mistakes are inevitable, but the work continues.
“So as we celebrate this 42nd anniversary of our Independence, we must also acknowledge that not every road is yet paved, not every project is yet complete, and not every community feels the full measure of peace and prosperity we seek. As a government, we do not deny this. We face it. But today we can say with pride and without boasting that the Federation is moving forward and moving forward together. This road in St. Peter’s does not stand alone. It is part of a system. The hospital and school under construction are not isolated buildings. They are part of a system. The energy and water projects, digital reforms, housing, social programs, youth initiatives, and enterprise support are each part of a system. And when a system is coherent, progress compounds. And it is only then that Independence is fully realised.”
He added, “So when we ask ourselves, what does it mean to be truly free after 42 years? It means a child can walk in mansion, ride along a safe, lit roadway to a modern school, study on an electronic device connected to reliable broadband, participate in an after-school programme that keeps them engaged and safe, access preventive healthcare at a strong community clinic, and then return home to a dry, secure, energy-efficient house powered partly by the sun. It means a farmer in Cayon can irrigate more reliably, get an affordable loan to upgrade equipment, transport fresh produce along a good road to a market, and settle instantly with digital tools. It means a nurse at JNF can use modern diagnostics to treat patients at home, rather than having to transport them abroad for treatment. It means a new graduate from St. Kitts and Nevis can choose to stay because staying offers a life of dignity, growth, and hope.”
“This is Independence that breathes. This is Independence you can drive upon, learn upon, build upon, and depend upon. Forty-two years on, we still have mistakes to avoid and lessons to apply. As such, your government is committed to prudent economic management that protects our stability, to transparency and accountability, to consultation and collaboration, to the steady, disciplined execution that turns plans into projects and projects into progress. We will remain bold and careful, bold enough to change what must be changed, and careful enough to secure what must be secured, and we will measure our work not by headlines but by outcomes.”
The Prime Minister concluded by encouraging the citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis, both at home and abroad, not to be distracted by doubt or defeated by division, but to see every road as a pathway to opportunities and advancement.
St. Kitts and Nevis gained Independence on September 19, 1983, from the United Kingdom.
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