Weekly Report - 23 December 2003

Nevis would be better off independent, was the main thrust of premier (and finance minister) Vance Amory's budget address to the Nevis Island Assembly last week. He said that though some might try to use the fiscal situation to argue against independence, `this could be seen as clutching at straws [as] the attainment of independence would enable [Nevis] to better approach a global market place to access financing and investment funds for development and economic growth.'