Basseterre -To commemorate its 93rd Founder’s Day, the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) organised a church service in which senior dignitaries of the oldest active political party participated including Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew.
The SKNLP was conceived and founded in the year 1932 and it was named St. Kitts Workers’ League.
It soon started working for the political, social and economic reforms in the nation and has since then been working for the welfare of the people.
The church service was organised under the theme “93 Years of Progress and Unity.” The party had also extended and open invite to the general people to participate in the event that marked 93 years of its existence.
Speaking at the occasion prime minister Dr Drew said the party has always remain at the four front of social change and it was instrumental insecuring adult suffrage in 1952 which had provided the right to all eligible citizens of the nation to vote and elect their representatives.
The party also worked extensively for ensuring and safeguarding the interest and rights of the working class. It had supported the cause of 40 hour work week and increased minimum wages for the workers of the nation.
Other than introducing universal free education from primary to secondary schools, the party had also worked on providing advance healthcare facilities to the people of the nation by establishing a large number of healthcare centres across the twin islands, the Prime Minister said.
During the event senior members of the party paid homage to the former leaders of SKNLP, who had made great contributions and sacrifices for the welfare of the people. The leaders remembered the first president of the party Thomas Manchester followed by Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, the nation’s first premier and national hero, and Dr. Denzil Douglas, who led the party from 1989 to 2021.
At present the party is being led by Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, The Prime Minister said that the principles on which the party had been formed by the great leaders had played a significant role in the growth of SKNLP. He said that ever since it’s foundation in 1932 the party has always stood for principal such as equality, democracy and economic growth of St. Kitts and Nevis.
He said that during the nine decades of its existence the party has championed various causes of public welfare and growth of the nation. He added that SKNLP will continue to work for the welfare of the people of the nation and will continue to promote the founding principles of progress and unity while working to create a more prosperous nation for the people.
He said that even as the party is setting its eyes on the future it continues to draw inspiration from the years that have gone by and from the philosophies of the great leaders who had worked not just for the party but also for the people of this great nation.
