 
Senate Resolution No. 3772
 
BY: Senator HAMILTON
 
        COMMEMORATING   the   35th   Anniversary   of  the
        Independence of St. Kitts and Nevis
 
  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to  recognize  and
pay  just  tribute  to  the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups which
comprise and contribute to the richness and diversity of  the  community
of the State of New York; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and  in  keeping  with  its
time-honored traditions, it is the intent of this  Legislative  Body  to
commemorate  the  35th  Anniversary of the Independence of St. Kitts and
Nevis; and
 
  WHEREAS, The people of this great State and Nation and St. Kitts and
Nevis enjoy a deep  and  abiding  relationship  rooted  in  kinship  and
culture; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  smallest  nation in the Americas, St. Kitts and Nevis
celebrates its Independence Day on September 19th  of  every  year;  the
country  officially  gained  its independence from the United Kingdom on
September 19, 1983; and
 
  WHEREAS, Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to  the  Americas
landed  on  the  islands in 1493, and named it "Saint Kitts" in honor of
his patron saint, Saint Christopher; it was in  1623  when  Saint  Kitts
became  Britain's  first territory in the West Indies as Nevis was later
colonized in 1628; and
 
  WHEREAS, The French also arrived to Saint Kitts and settled  at  the
town  of  Basseterre;  the  French and British had amicably shared Saint
Kitts for a while, however, by the mid-17th  Century  sporadic  fighting
between the two had ensued; and
 
  WHEREAS,   Prior  to  these  successful  colonies,  French  Huguenot
refugees tried to set up as far back as 1538, only to be raided  by  the
Spanish; and
 
  WHEREAS, In 1664, the French forced the British from Saint Kitts and
in  1689,  the French were driven out by the British; for a brief period
in the early years of the 18th century, the French forces reclaimed  the
island and they did this again in 1782; and
 
  WHEREAS, However, in 1783, France finally gave up its claim on Saint
Kitts to Great Britain by signing the Treaty of Paris; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Since  that  time,  Saint  Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, and the
British Virgin Islands were governed as a single colony by the  British;
the  Leeward  Islands Federation joined together Saint Kitts, Nevis, and
Anguilla as a British dependency in 1871; and
 
  WHEREAS, In  1967,  Saint  Kitts,  Nevis,  and  Anguilla  became  an
autonomous  member  of  the  West  Indies Associated States; the British
 
placed Anguilla under its direct rule in 1971, and in 1980, Anguilla was
officially removed from the dependency; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The 35th Anniversary of St. Kitts and Nevis's Independence
provides  an  opportunity  to  recognize   the   significance   of   its
contributions  to the quality and character of life, and, through events
and activities, for all people to gain a  greater  appreciation  of  its
history and traditions, and of the role it has played, and will continue
to play, in our society; and
 
  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative Body is pleased to have this opportunity
to recognize such events of significance which foster ethnic  pride  and
exemplify  the  cultural  diversity  that represents and strengthens the
fabric of the people and the State of New York; now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commemorate the 35th Anniversary of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Commemorating the 35th Anniversary of St. Kitts and Nevis

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