ABSTRACT
In 1984 a new nation-state was recognized by the world, when the prime minister of St. Christopher-Nevis was invited to give a speech to the General Assembly of the United Nations. The event was covered by the local government radio station and it generated a certain amount of pride among the population of this new nation who suddenly saw their tiny country of a little more than 100 square miles, inhabited by 50,000 people, in the center of world affairs. This event symbolized the international recognition of the autonomous nationhood of St. Kitts-Nevis, as the two islands are called locally. This political autonomy had been carried into effect in October 1983 with the signing of a treaty of independence from Great Britain, who had ruled the two islands since the 1620s with periods of French rule during the early history.1
