Prime Minister Douglas stated during his opening remarks, “We were spared of the merciless rage that we have seen with natural disasters unleashed on many parts of the globe. We were spared from the hatred that the people of the countries unleashed on each other often in their quest for something as basic as the right to vote and an end to military rule. We were spared the shock where we have seen middle class individuals are now homeless.

The Prime Minister went on to say “The point is that we have been spared much and this requires some sober realization and acknowledgement in the privacy of our own hearts.  I remind you that it’s just not that we have been spared of these terrible traumas but it is that we as a nation reached important and positive milestones as well.”

Dr. Douglas also went on to outline that during these tough economic times St. Kitts and Nevis was still able to reach the benchmarks set by the International Monetary Fund and referred to it as “no minor feat.”

The Prime Minister also commended the athletes of St. Kitts and Nevis whom he said showed courage and tenacity that defied the laws of probability when one considers the size of this tiny nation.