St Kitts and Nevis students in Jamaica accuse Prime Minister Harris and Education Minister Richards of abandoning them
Basseterre, St Kitts – St Kitts and Nevis students at the University of the West Indies (Mona Campus) in Jamaica have been abandoned by the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity Government.
“A St Kitts student in Jamaica, UWI sent me this crying out for help from the government, they want to come home,” posted Everton,”Obi” Powell on his FaceBook Page on Friday afternoon after they turned to him for help.
“Over 50 students from SKN are stuck in Jamaica after making several pleas with the Government to get them out,” said Powell.
“I am calling on the local authorities to take drastic measures to get our students home,” Powell begged, a Nevisian based in Washington, DC and the federation’s most illustrious blogger.
On Tuesday, during his weekly radio programme “Ask the Leader,” National Political Leader of the St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), the Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas made a similar plea to Dr Harris to assist St Kitts and Nevis students studying in the United States, Canada, Europe, Taiwan, the United Virgin Islands and at UWI campuses in Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados and Guyana.
Community activist Curtis Crooke had also called into the programme highlighting the plight of at least one known St Kitts and Nevis national studying in Guyana.
On March 20, the St Kitts-Nevis Labour (SKNLP) Parliamentary Representative for St Christopher 3 (West Basseterre), Hon Konris Maynard issued a public call for the Government of St Kitts and Nevis to assist Kittitian and Nevisian students studying overseas and who are caught up in the throes of the COVID-19.
On March 28, Maynard and his wife launched a COVID-19 Overseas Student Relief Fund by committing EC$5,000 to assist St Kitts and Nevis students studying abroad and who have been impacted by COVID-19.
The St Kitts and Nevis students in Jamaica pointed to the departure Friday (April 24) Antiguan and Monsterratian students have left Jamaica today amidst the alarming increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases to return to their respective countries.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda reportedly collaborated with the Monsterratian Government and chartered LI 440 to get them home.
The Government has also made provisions for all 48 of their students to be be immediately quarantined upon their arrival. Accommodation has already been provided at local hotels including The Halcyon Cove by Rex Resorts.
