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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, March 15, 2021 (MMS-SKN) — The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is the most successful country in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic in the western hemisphere, and Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris is attributing the success to the all of society approach advocated by Government and has singled out the church for the role it has been playing and continues to play in the fight.

Prime Minister Harris commended the church generally, saying that the churches and the church leadership have been some of the most supportive and disciplined “in application of the Covid-19 protocols that have helped keep us safe so far. I want to say how much we deeply appreciate it and we thank God for guiding you, and guiding the church in that discipline.”

The Honourable Prime Minister made the remarks on Sunday March 14 at the Cayon Church of God in Central Cayon where he had joined the leadership and membership of the church for morning worship service in the company of members of Constituency Number Seven Group who had attended the worship service in celebration of birthday anniversaries of two of their members.

According to Prime Minister Harris, even before lockdown measures were instituted in the Federation, some of the churches had begun to practise social distancing protocols.

“We are in the final leg of this fight with the pandemic, the vaccination, and for us to get where we want to go, nearer to normalcy, forgetting our masks etc. we will have to get 70% of our population 33,000+ persons vaccinated,” Dr Harris pointed out. “It is a tall order that requires discipline, but there is an easy to go about it.”

Reflecting on his favourite song, ‘the goodness of God is running after us as a people’, Prime Minister Harris told the congregation that the goodness of God was the reason people in St. Kitts and Nevis are able to have good things about which they can share and they can indeed know that it is God’s favour in their lives.

He posed: “How else do we explain that the smallest country in the hemisphere has been so far the most successful in controlling a global pandemic? The grace of God and the goodness of God are keeping St. Kitts and Nevis safe.”

Host pastor, Reverend Dr Ben Browne delivered the sermon under the theme ‘Signs of the times’ with the topic being ‘The signs are signalling… Don’t miss the signal’. It was announced that the church would on the same evening be hosting a Covid-19 vaccination session from 6:00 pm facilitated by General Surgeon Dr Natalie Osborne under the theme ‘Getting vaccinated against Covid-19…Should I take it or should I not’.

“If in Dr Browne’s church, 70% of its membership is inoculated, we are getting closer there,” advised Prime Minister Harris. “If in our families we work hard to get 70% of them inoculated, we are getting closer there. In our work places we are getting 70% of them inoculated – we are getting there. On our Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP) we are getting 70% of them inoculated – we are getting closer there with the grace of God.”

The congregation was further advised by Prime Minister Harris that this is a global issue as right now for one to travel they would need to have a negative PCR test, but warned that in just a couple of weeks they will hear that for one travel they must show their vaccination certificate. Dr Harris also reflected on the fact that the Queen of England who is 94 years old has already taken the vaccine and wondered why some people are still waiting.

“The final thing is really to thank the organiser of our Peoples Labour Party (PLP), and by extension Unity Group, Mrs Sonia Henry for organising this get together on behalf of two of our members – at least one is a member of this church,” said Prime Minister Harris in relation to Ms Cheryl Franklin whose birthday was on Sunday, and her fiancé Mr Gavin Berridge whose birthday was the previous day on Saturday.