YouSaid · the spoken record

Denzil Douglas

lines on the record: 166
first: 1997-09-24
most recent: 2012-09-24
sittings or episodes: 7
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“For much too long we have, perhaps unwittingly, separated human security from representative democracy and economic development from human rights. Those are inextricably linked. When we fight for the freedom of our brothers to vote but ignore their inalienable right to food security, that is a skewed principle; it is a half-measure based on a selective morality in which our fight will always be only partially won. We cannot simply tell our citizens that they are free to vote, while failing to help them transform freedoms into practical systems that support and advance personal dreams. Democracy, I emphasize, is the best vehicle through which humankind can realize its dreams and aspirations. I firmly believe that true independence, like freedom, can come only from doing what is right.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We must collaborate in addressing those effects, and we must take necessary corrective action in order to build a safer environment for ourselves and our future generations. Our destinies and our freedoms are all interwoven. It was Franklin D. Roosevelt who said that “true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence”. As Saint Kitts and Nevis commemorates its silver-jubilee year of independence, we therefore feel compelled to call on the United Nations and the members of the Security Council to work together to put an end to the genocide in parts of Africa. I also call on the United Nations to take firm action in the lead-up to the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development so that that event will bring real relief and development, even to the far corners of Africa.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“In varying degrees and at various levels, those changes impact hundreds of thousands of small-scale farmers, fishermen and other people who depend heavily on the natural environment for their livelihood but are already witnessing lower crop yields and smaller catches. It is no longer sufficient simply to lay blame at the feet of countries, businesses and people who pollute. We need effective strategies based on scientific consensus and, of course, solution-focused approaches that address such issues as the suitability of land for various types of crops, dedicated areas for livestock, pasture development, the marine environment, impact on health and health care, the productivity of forests and the increased incidence of pests and diseases, as well as implications for biodiversity and ecosystems.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“As world challenges have expanded, the Republic of China on Taiwan has stepped forward to provide technical assistance in the areas of social and agricultural development, as well as disaster relief in many countries, thus bringing enormous benefits to both public and private sectors. Whatever the tone and tenor of the ongoing debate, climate change is an aspect of our modern experience. Because of our activities and our assault on Earth’s atmosphere, many processes have negatively impacted rivers, lakes and oceans, resulting in fast- melting polar ice caps and rising sea levels and exposing us to greater risks of harmful solar radiation and greenhouse gas emissions. Wherever culpability may reside, those processes all have serious implications and consequences for small island States.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“In the area of environmental protection, we continue to collaborate on and to work towards disaster reduction and mitigation. And we are assiduously exploring renewable energy sources, including geothermal energy, on which we have made encouraging progress. On the issue of bilateral relations, I am pleased to say that we have built many deeply valued relationships over the years, and we continue to further strengthen those relations. In the light of that, we urge 49 08-51851 that a way be found to facilitate the participation of the Republic of China on Taiwan in the specialized agencies of the United Nations.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“In that regard, the United Nations Development Programme has been a vibrant partner in advancing the programmatic goals of our twin-island federation, as have UNESCO and other United Nations agencies. Our relationship with this Organization is one that we cherish dearly. We have worked with and through subregional entities such as the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, regional mechanisms such as the Caribbean Community and hemispheric institutions such as the Organization of American States. Through regional mechanisms we have been able to map a course for functional cooperation on issues such as trade, security and health. Within the Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS, we have developed a regional response to tackle the epidemic of HIV/AIDS.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The continuous suppression of freedom — overt or disguised — under the cloak of civil order or territorial integrity, must be tackled openly. Freedom and personal responsibility go hand in hand. How can we encourage people to take personal responsibility but deprive them of their personal freedom? That is the fundamental question. Our presence here today is both a demonstration and an acknowledgement of the increasingly interconnected nature of our world. I wish to say that much of what Saint Kitts and Nevis has achieved over the past 25 years has been the result of our people’s hard work and discipline, combined with the benefits that have accrued from both our multilateral and our bilateral relations.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Against this backdrop, and given the need for urgent action, we also urge that the issue of reform, a recurrent United Nations theme for some 15 years, be revisited with renewed vigour and commitment. Far too much time has passed. Far too little has been done. And far too much now hangs in the balance. Let us equip the United Nations with the tools necessary to fulfil its mandates, especially in the areas of protecting individual freedoms and human rights and of promoting economic development as an integral element of human security around the world. For as Clarence Darrow said, “You can only protect your liberties in the world by protecting the other man’s freedom. You can only be free if I am free”.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“It was in January 2008 that the food price index established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) jumped by 47 per cent over the previous year. This included increases for cereals by some 62 per cent, dairy products by 69 per cent and vegetable oils by 85 per cent. In some instances, prices of staple foods such as maize, wheat, rice and beans have risen by more than 100 per cent. This global economic downturn, coupled with the dramatic upsurge in commodity prices, has created the worst food crisis in recent years. This new phenomenon will make it much more difficult for us to address the growing incidence of poverty in and among our nations and our ability to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving extreme poverty and hunger throughout the world by 2015.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We have also begun to rationalize and promote proper utilization of agricultural lands through land use diversion and diversification, providing financial and seedling support to farmers and recommending water rationalization and enhanced irrigation techniques. The problems to which I have alluded are not unique to Saint Kitts and Nevis. Members will recall popular riots in some countries, including in Haiti, where they led to the resignation of that country’s Government. That is evidence of just how the impact of the rising cost of food and the despair visited upon whole communities could easily undermine peoples’ faith in their Governments to deliver on the promises of democracy, free market economics and globalization.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The current trend continues to have a lopsided impact on the poor and on the increasing numbers of extremely poor and vulnerable people, who are those 08-51851 48 least able to counter the impact of economic dislocations facing our countries. Mindful of our personal responsibility as leaders and of the heightened expectations of our citizens, the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis has been taking practical measures to alleviate the suffering of our resilient people. We have addressed the important dimensions of availability and access to certain food staples such as rice, flour and sugar. We have looked at how best to stabilize prices to inject predictability into the system without prejudice to free market economics.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The circumstances that have led to collapsing financial institutions and rising prices for food and energy were not created by small States such as Saint Kitts and Nevis. But yet again, as in the case of climate change, we are victims of the act of others, but with no resources whatsoever to combat the consequences. Earlier this year, I participated in the High-level Conference on World Food Security, held in June in Rome. The upbeat response from several heads of State or Government and from the numerous ministers of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, water, energy and environment who participated in that meeting was, for me, a strong indication of the relevance and timeliness of the Conference for nations seeking to take positive action on the issue of food security.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“It is my hope, therefore, that in this “Assembly of frankness” there will be a sober and unrelenting analysis of the human consequences of sweeping and globally enforced trade and economic regimes on small States all around the globe. And it is also my hope that the economic uncertainties now being experienced in some of the world’s larger economies will sensitize us all to the breadth of the uncertainty, the depth of the anxiety and the real psychological trauma that often grip small States when policies that are formulated far beyond their shores and are utterly unresponsive to their entreaties are nonetheless thrust unflinchingly upon them. Recent events have brought into focus the issue of the stability of the world’s financial systems and financial institutions.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“From where I stand today, I have come to appreciate those achievements and to appreciate that, even at this juncture, providence affords us still new opportunities to renew our cherished institution. It is very easy to side with the cynics when the Security Council becomes frozen in stalemate or when the need for action falls victim to political posturing. But history, particularly that of the past two decades, instructs me that the United Nations is far more than the sum of its weaknesses, because for millions of people around the world this Organization is their only hope, a bridge between life and death, a bastion of freedom and a beacon of hope.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Of course, along the way, we have relied, understandably on such institutions as our beloved United Nations. Through membership, Saint Kitts and Nevis has built important and strategic partnerships, stood shoulder to shoulder with other Member States to protect our individual rights and collective freedoms, and have fought battles far bigger than would be expected for a country of its size. We have also been witnesses to the positives and negatives, the strengths and failings of our world, but have soldiered on together in common cause. That is why, 25 years later, I remain optimistic about the progress of the United Nations and its ability to defend the poor and needy despite the pull of competing powerful national agendas that have occasionally threatened to undermine the ethos of the institution and, indeed, the common good.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“However, our experience in Saint Kitts and Nevis demonstrates that good governance and prudent management of one’s resources; appropriate investment in people and systems; the protection people’s freedom of association, religion and speech; the support and facilitation of a free and vibrant press; success at advancing the socio-economic well-being of one’s people; and the upholding of democratic ideals are determined not by land mass, but by national character and political commitment. They are the result not of demographics or geographic size, but of long-standing sociocultural traditions. They are a function not of gross domestic product, but of an entrenched ethos of striving and determination. Our faith has steadied our resolve and belief in ourselves and our future.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“That is evident in our sister Caribbean nation of Haiti, where the devastating effects of four consecutive hurricanes in the space of one month continue to undermine the Government’s effort to build strong institutions and to invest in the productive enterprises and infrastructure that generate employment and improved living conditions. The progress witnessed in Saint Kitts and Nevis was not achieved by chance. Since the birth of our nation 25 years ago, we have faced a multitude of problems, some of which are fortunately behind us, but several others of which have emerged and grown in intensity and scope.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“It is also the pride that comes from witnessing first-hand the true value of freedom — a freedom that has enabled us to share in the triumphs of democracy and to mould the creative genius and the industrious, enterprising spirit of our people into a single community of goodwill and commitment that moves our people and great country forward. It is a pride borne of weathering storms of external economic shocks, including fluctuating commodity prices and the withdrawal of preferential market access, while being able to successfully 47 08-51851 transform three centuries of a monocultural, sugar- based economy into a vibrant and competitive services- driven economy. Many other small States have not been as fortunate, however.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Therefore, as chief servant of my people and my cherished land, I stand before the Assembly today, emboldened by the pride of a nation that has taken its full and rightful place among the community of independent nations, a vibrant democracy with a thriving economy, a deep commitment to justice and human rights, and an abiding faith in social equity. Mine is a pride that comes not only from realizing the benefits of the practical policies and programmes created over the years to improve the standard of living and uplift our people, but also from the sense of community, partnership and civic and personal responsibility that have shaped the destiny of my proud nation.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“It is an honour and a pleasure for me to be here to represent that nation at the United Nations, a potent symbol of freedom and sovereignty. That symbolism means all the more to my people at this particular time, as this sixty-third session of the General Assembly coincides with the celebration of my nation’s twenty- fifth anniversary of political independence. Building and reinforcing the pillars of nationhood has not been easy, but we have always considered it an essential task and a challenge worth facing.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“I wish to begin by thanking His Excellency Srgjan Kerim for his leadership over the past year as President of this august and venerable body at its sixty-second session. I also wish to congratulate and extend best wishes to His Excellency Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann of Nicaragua on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. Twenty-five years ago almost to the day, two Caribbean peoples who had always been separated by water but had long been united by history, culture and circumstance joined forces to embark upon a bold experiment. Having between them a land mass of just over 100 square miles and a population of approximately 50,000, the people of Saint Kitts and the people of Nevis decided to step forward as one nation to join the world community of sovereign States.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“However, the tenor of last week's summit suggests a strong possibility that some developed countries may yet renege on those commitments, which could further erode developing countries' efforts to eradicate extreme poverty, generate employment, promote human security and narrow the development gap between richer and poorer countries. We still have an opportunity for an enhanced global partnership to turn commitments into action and 4 secure a future for our children, a future that is free from want of the basic necessities, free from fear of violence with guarantees of protection of the right to live in dignity. Only then will we build and reinforce the foundation of democracy, enhance collective security and jumpstart a process where globalization becomes a vehicle for change among all of the world's peoples.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“My Government reiterates its call for the people of the Republic of China, Taiwan, to be consulted, effectively represented and invited to participate in the critical debates on world peace, human security, development and human rights. I believe that we would have failed to promote human rights effectively if, through political exclusion, generations of people are relegated to the margins of such important issues and the forums that facilitate their discussion. I remain cautiously optimistic about the future. On the one hand, Governments have rededicated themselves to the struggle to build a world free from want and fear and with the freedom to live with dignity. In addition, we are poised to reform the United Nations in the hope that it can play a more effective role in this ever-changing world.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The United Nations must also play a more enhanced role in development, and the concerns of small island developing States must be given greater attention within this Organization. Small States can offer best- practice models and creative ideas from which the international debate on development, peace, security and human rights could benefit. We encourage greater transparency in the deliberations of critical organs of the Organization and greater opportunities for small States to be represented in the decision-making processes of these organs. The people of Taiwan continue to be excluded from the brotherhood of nations, which was created to represent the hopes and aspirations of all peoples.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“It is not unreasonable, therefore, to expect reciprocity of support in fighting the almost intractable problems that confront small States. To address these urgent challenges, we call on the international community to support and contribute to the full, timely and effective implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for further implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, which we consider a very important mechanism for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. My Government was heartened by the Secretary- General's proposal for the establishment of a Human Rights Council. We also support effective change in the United Nations, which also means that the Security Council must evolve to reflect current world realities.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“In an attempt to fulfil the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, my Government has also pursued policies to stimulate and facilitate private- sector-led growth by investing in physical infrastructure and human resource development. But we need international political and economic support. The Secretary-General underscored that threats to peace and security represent different things to different countries. If we intend to promote collective security, there must be an appreciation of and sensitivity to this diversity among countries. In the same way, we are called upon to aid in the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and other scourges that threaten international peace and security in the more advanced countries.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“That has severe implications in terms of unemployment, social dislocation, psychological distress and the dramatic loss of urgently needed foreign-exchange earnings. We have tried to prepare for such an eventuality through a process of economic diversification, but support from the international community has not been forthcoming. The cost of borrowing, the removal of grant financing from the menus of international financial institutions and the annual recovery costs from catastrophic hurricanes have become more and more onerous. Creative legal policy initiatives, especially in the international financial services sector, have been challenged and undermined by some developed countries.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“To further compound that grave situation, the recent rulings of the World Trade Organization relative to trade preferences have dealt a most significant blow 3 to small economies in the Caribbean and therefore threaten to unravel their economic base. In the case of my country, after centuries of sugar production and sales to the European market - which have been a cornerstone of our economic support and our social stability - we have been forced to close that industry, which finally succumbed to continuous losses and escalating debts. Saint Kitts and Nevis can no longer compete profitably in a world market that is characterized by engineered low prices for sugar and by the unfair trading practices of some countries.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“It was just in July this year that our sister CARICOM nation of Grenada again suffered serious devastation, caused by Hurricane Emily, on the back of last year's devastation brought by Hurricane Ivan. The Maldives, another small island sister nation, has made pleas for a delay in the process set in motion for its graduation from the list of least developed countries, owing to the tsunami. We specifically support the Maldives' request. In addition to the cost of recovery, escalating high prices and the cost of food imports, Saint Kitts and Nevis, as an emerging tourist destination, has faced the prohibitively high cost of implementing supplementary security measures since 11 September 2001.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The achievements to which I referred come at an enormous cost - a cost that represents an enormous burden - to our people. The past decade has been particularly difficult for Saint Kitts and Nevis. Our small island State continues to be especially vulnerable to natural disasters, external economic fluctuations and policies biased against small economies such as ours. My country has experienced back-to-back hurricanes, landslides and floods, at a cost of more than half a billion dollars. We have been forced to direct more and more of our scarce resources towards recovery and away from development. The experience throughout the Caribbean region is very similar.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We are therefore now pursuing policies aimed at universal access to treatment and care and at ending discrimination and the stigmatization of those persons affected by HIV/AIDS, while at the same time continuing our public education initiatives on preventing the spread of the virus. A per capita income of more than $7,000 places us squarely among upper-middle-income countries. We thank the United Nations for recognizing our efforts, which are the result of policies engineered to ensure the development of the individual despite the obstacles that we face as a small economy. They also reflect the commitment of my Government to ensuring the protection of the rights of our children and their role in our countryís future. That, however, is only one side of the coin.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The report also confirms 98 per cent access to safe water and sanitation. In the field of health, it notes a 99 per cent rate of immunization of infants against tuberculosis and measles in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Pan-Caribbean Partnership to combat HIV/AIDS (PANCAP), established by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), has proved to be a useful and pragmatic vehicle for collective action and results. In Saint Kitts and Nevis, our own fight against HIV/AIDS uses that particular model. PANCAP has distinguished itself and has been identified as a best- practice model.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“As a point of reference, in this year's Human Development Report issued by the United Nations Development Programme, Saint Kitts and Nevis was ranked 49 out of 177 countries on the Human Development Index ó the second-highest ranking in the Caribbean region and, indeed, among the highest in the Latin American and Caribbean region. The report reflects the reality in Saint Kitts and Nevis, where there is an adult literacy rate of 97.8 per cent, a life expectancy rate of 70 years - which needs upward revision - and a combined primary, secondary and tertiary school enrolment ratio of 89 per cent. The report underscores our commitment to gender equality, starting with current parity in enrolment levels among girls and boys in school at both the primary and the secondary levels.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We also firmly believe that by making sure every child in Saint Kitts and Nevis has access to primary and secondary education, to potable water and to health care, we are creating healthier, better adjusted and productive adults whose rights will have been nourished and enshrined in the policy orientation and development agenda of our proud country. It is generally accepted that the right to development is also a fundamental right that national Governments have a primary responsibility to ensure. Long before the Millennium Development Goals were formally elaborated and adopted by the community of nations, that fundamental right was emphatically understood by the Government and the people of Saint Kitts and Nevis.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We also urge them to partner with us, recognizing our vulnerabilities to natural disasters and other external economic factors, and recognizing the need for preferred and differential treatment in trade and access to markets in developed countries. We urge developed countries to implement policies that do not 2 undermine our efforts or reverse the gains that we in small developing countries have made. We call for equity and for a willingness to live and let live. Despite overwhelming odds, however, the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis stands ready to do its share. At the base of our efforts and policies is the fundamental importance of strengthening the rights of the child. We believe that promoting the rights of the child goes to the heart of full and effective protection of human rights.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Some citizens have become more vocal and more open in their distrust of Government policies that fail to deliver the promises of democracy and globalization, fail to reduce poverty and unemployment and fail to improve their standard of living. The economic and political rift between rich and poor nations is steadily becoming a deeper divide as mistrust continues to characterize relations between the developed and the developing countries. Understandably, small countries ó despite limited and diminishing resources ó are expected to participate equally in the fight against the social scourges that confront us. But that dramatically reduces our ability to make new and necessary investments in socio-economic development. It is within that context that we urge Member nations to substantively support the Millennium Development Goals.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The political landscape reveals clear indications of the interconnectedness of the phenomena of poverty eradication, security, economic development and governance. The task of governance is becoming increasingly difficult in the face of growing unemployment, deepening poverty, escalating energy prices and a mounting cost of living. As a consequence, we have witnessed social dislocations and civil disquiet. The fruits of globalization still do not grow among the worldís poorest, who have become further marginalized and blame their Governments, which, despite their best efforts, are often relegated to the margins of political discourse and economic activities.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“My Government supports the report of the Secretary- General, which reaffirms development, peace, security and human rights as fundamental to the well-being of any modern State. The Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis steadfastly contends that there is an inherent link between poverty reduction, the promotion of human rights, economic development, security and good governance. Regrettably, the tendency has been to separate them, in favour of what some call political imperatives. I daresay policies do not and cannot exist in a vacuum. Politics is about people, and therefore national, regional or even international organizational policies must be about people. There is stark evidence of this.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“27 Moreover, the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis is happy to be given this opportunity to express its views on a number of issues of concern to my country. Without the United Nations, a micro State such as Saint Kitts and Nevis would never have been heard. Therefore, as we cross over into the new millennium, Saint Kitts and Nevis joins with the rest of the world as we commit ourselves to the continued development of the United Nations in order to ensure that all people everywhere will enjoy the fulfilment of the promise of peace, prosperity and progress.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“I dare say that the multitude of problems before us is complex and very involved. The old paradigms that prevailed in the cold war have outlived their usefulness. It is not only those elements that directly threaten our political and strategic interests, but also those factors that undermine a country’s ability to preserve its economic, social and cultural fabric that should guide national interests. There is no longer one giant enemy, but there are a number of persistent factors that could conspire at any one time to destroy the delicate balance of our societies. In spite of all the shortcomings of this body, if the United Nations did not exist, it would be necessary to invent it, because there is no other organization that has contributed as much to the development of humankind.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We must move with informed haste, because I fear that if we fail to translate the benefits of democracy, technological growth and economic wealth into tangible gains for our people, future chaos will not be far behind. I am one of those who refuse to accept that the developed world could be ignorant of the challenges facing the small and poor economies. I am reluctant to think that national interests could be so blinding that Governments neglect to realize that the problems plaguing any one region, for instance, have serious ramifications much further afield. We have to recommit to the elimination of the potent cancer of illicit drugs and global consequences. We are all victims. Therefore, we must all become partners. Let us commit to root out the menace of narco-trafficking that is becoming embedded in our various societies.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Last year I spoke of the viability of social-venture philanthropy through which Governments and businesses may collaborate with each other. This concept already exists at a similar level within many corporate structures. Companies are already engaged in projects that enhance and maintain a positive corporate image. We would take this further if companies would recognize the importance of preserving a good corporate culture by improving the standard of living of the national constituencies in which they do profitable business. A reformed United Nations, with its existing organs, funds and programmes, can help to implement such strategies.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Hence, I maintain that we need a United Nations that is informed by the inequities of the world economic systems, and is able to respond to the social challenges that are being exacerbated as a result. We do our best to achieve the eradication of poverty. Saint Kitts and Nevis seeks the support of the international community, thus building a bridge to a better world. Tomorrow’s world should open with our people finding answers to the request to give them each day their daily bread, and the kingdom of peace should be realized here on Earth. There is an urgency to match our deeds with our words so that we may, all of us, find the forgiveness which is necessary as the basis for building peace in this world.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“There is an important part for national Governments to play in the protection of their citizens’ human rights, but there is a more substantial, comprehensive and far-reaching role for the United Nations as ultimate protector of the entire body of human rights. This means that there should be a greater partnership between the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations human rights mechanisms and other agencies and organs. In this way, new strategies can be devised for opening access to markets for those countries that continue to find themselves on the periphery of the international trading system. The Organization should help to create and investigate practical alternatives.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“My Government is equally committed to working with local and international businesses, without, however, surrendering the fate of our nation to disinterested forces that could wreak further havoc on their lives. My Government repeats its call for an expansion of the interpretation of human rights to incorporate fully economic rights and the right to development. In recognizing that there is an inseparable link between the human rights and economic rights of the individual, my Government has pledged to continue our programme to build affordable houses, create jobs, fight poverty and pursue new sources of local and foreign investment. My Government will be an avid partner and facilitator of business without compromising the quality of life for each of our citizens.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Saint Kitts and Nevis earnestly expects that Member States, the international community and the United Nations system will actively support our efforts in order to develop and implement this concept and take action so as to avert the 26 threat of pollution from ship-generated waste, as well as accidental release of hazardous and noxious substances. Despite the socio-economic quagmire that bedevils and undermines our efforts, my Government has remained steadfast. It has remained committed to create more opportunities for the people of Saint Kitts and Nevis. But we are aware that the Government cannot solve these problems alone. There is a critical role for the private sector as well.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“But our position is that a world economic order predicated upon open economies works best with countries whose economies are roughly equal. If we are committed to eradicating poverty in every area of this world, then we must address the implications for poverty that are inherent in trading arrangements. Those of us who live in the Caribbean, mostly in developing countries and small island States, are vulnerable and also affected by, inter alia, lack of capacity and human resource bases, the need for financial resources, social problems, high levels of poverty and the effects of globalization. We rely heavily on the coastal areas, as well as the marine environment in general, to achieve sustainable development, and meet our needs and goals. For us, in the context of sustainable development, the Caribbean Sea must be seen as a special area.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Saint Kitts and Nevis would prefer to see this body, through the United Nations Conference on Trade on Development (UNCTAD), take up the issue of what happens to countries caught in the toils of a free-trade regime. Saint Kitts and Nevis believes that this matter requires careful study by experts with a global perspective and it is our view that the United Nations is the one Organization capable of studying this issue objectively and putting recommendations before the leaders of the world to remedy what could potentially be a disaster for small, vulnerable economies. By and large, a country such as Saint Kitts and Nevis, which depends upon a buoyant tourist sector, the export of sugar and the provision of financial services cannot — I repeat, cannot — object in principle to a world of open economies.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It is a basic principle in economics that a country with a comparative advantage in producing goods and services in given areas will always make money at the expense of countries that are less equipped. In short, the rules as now written will inevitably lead to a zero-sum situation where trade between developed countries and developing countries is concerned. A regime, therefore, of unrestricted trade can lead to tremendous shocks in the economy of the less developed countries with very critical repercussions for their citizens. As part of the Caribbean Community, we have already witnessed how the logic of applying the same rules to all, regardless of the level of economic development, has led to serious dislocation within the banana-producing countries of our Caribbean subregion.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“How will they preserve the dignity of a good standard of living when the impersonal tentacles of globalization reach out to deprive them of the resources they need to survive? Human rights, in their purest and most practical sense, embody the human condition in all its basic elements. Therefore, the United Nations, as a major guarantor of these rights, should act as a counterbalance to globalization, which has begun to take food away from our people instead of helping them. The World Trade Organization is expected to play a key role in promoting trade liberalization, thereby fuelling the globalization process. The World Trade Organization, however, is not a panacea for the ills of world trade. No new rules can alter the fact that in most areas of exports, developed countries will have a comparative advantage over developing countries.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)