NIA-CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (December 21, 2011) — Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Minister for Social Security Hon. Sam Condor said the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board would continue to promote good health since there was nothing more important than a healthy nation.

He was at the time delivering remarks at a ceremony moments before handing over medical equipment valued just under US100, 000 to the Nevis Island Administration’s Ministry of Health, on behalf of the Board as part of its annual donation to Nevis.

“It is well established that the health of the nation is the wealth of the nation and so Social Security and the Ministry of Health are not arguably but definitely, unequivocally are very good partners.

“There is nothing more important than your health individually and as a nation. Without health you can do nothing you can go nowhere and so we want to continue in Social Security to promote good health,” he said.

According to Mr. Condor, though Social Security stood to benefit from the donation, their reason for such a gift was not a selfish one but instead was done out of generosity and good heart.

The Minister also spoke to the Social Security programme and gave a brief historical background of the Board’s partnership with the Nevis Island Administration.

“This programme of contribution to health care has been since 1983 when we became an independent nation but it has developed and improved and since 1995 when the Labour Administration took office. We now have a situation where the contribution to the Nevis Island Administration to the health system goes directly from Social Security.

“Prior to that it came from the Federal Ministry of Health and so this is something that the Government is extremely interested in and will continue,” he said.

Mr. Condor described the Social Security as the most important institution on the island and the best in the Eastern Caribbean and noted that if the organisation was nonexistent it would have to be created.

“It is most important and in fact Social Security in St. Kitts and Nevis boasts as the most efficient, effective, Social security in the Eastern Caribbean. We are the richest Social Security in the Eastern Caribbean.

“In fact I would like to say there is no institution in the country government or private that is better managed than Social Security. There is no organisation with more transparency and accountability than Social Security and I say that without fear of contradiction,” he said.

Notwithstanding, the Social Security Minister noted that the organisation wanted to continue to improve the health of the nation so that St. Kitts and Nevis could continue to grow as an independent island.

He pointed to a number of donations that Social Security had made to the Ministry of Health on Nevis among them in the area of dental care mobile unit, a solid waste truck, training for staff, operating theatre equipment, chemical analysis equipment, a computer for the Pharmacy Department, expansion of health centres, a printer to the Health Promotion Unit and their newest gift a Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS).
The Federal Minister said there was no better time than the Christmas Season to present the gift to the NIA.

“We are extremely pleased that we are giving this equipment at this time. We note this is a time of giving, Christmas time a time of sharing and caring. So we think there is no better time of the year than to come to share these gifts with the people on the island of Nevis specifically in the Ministry of Health…

“As we celebrate and give these gifts that will continue to improve the health of our nation, we want to in Social Security, to remind you of the reason for the season and to hope as you celebrate and look forward to the new year that we will go in good health, prosperity, good welfare, justice and unity as a people and that we will continue to build ourselves an independent and strong nation,” he said.