NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (August 31, 2016) — Republic of China (Taiwan) Resident Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis His Excellency George Gow Wei Chiou, officially handed the keys to two brand new Toyota trucks to Deputy Premier of Nevis and Minister of Health Hon. Mark Brantley, at Government Headquarters in Charlestown on August 30, 2016.

 

The vehicles are for use in the Ministry of Health’s environmental health programmes at the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority and the Public Health Unit.

 

The Ambassador, expressed hope, that the vehicles would be put to immediate use to protect the environment of Nevis and enhance the operations at the Authority and the Unt.

 

Mr. Brantley, in brief remarks, thanked the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for their continued assistance to the people of Nevis. He noted that the vehicles would assist the NIA, through the Ministry of Health, in its ongoing efforts to provide optimal health care to the people of Nevis.

 

“Port Health and Solid Waste are on the frontlines. They are the people who help us to prevent sickness and to stop us from getting sick in the first place. This government has been very clear, that our emphasis is on keeping our people healthy and preventing them from getting sick because it’s much more expensive to treat them after they are sick.

 

“We hope, through education and through investment in port health, through investment in environmental health and public health generally, that we will prevent our people from getting sick and lead to longer and healthier lives. So we want to thank again, our very dear friends from Taiwan. They have always been there for us. They have always been there to assist us and we want to thank them,” he said.

 

The Minister, used the opportunity to encourage those utilising the vehicles to take care of them so that they could be of service for at least 10 to 15 years.

 

Mr. Brantley handed over the keys to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Mrs. Nichole Slack-Liburd, who in turn, handed them over to Medical Officer of Health Dr. Judy Nisbett and Manager of the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority Andrew Hendrickson.