The written history of Nevis begins with the account recorded by Columbus when he sailed by Nevis in 1493. The name Nevis is derived from "Nuestra Senora de Las Nieves" which means "Our Lady of the Snows," because of the cloud capped mountain reminding Columbus of snow.
Prior to the Columbus saga, Nevis was named Dulcina "Sweet Island" by the Arawaks and later Oualie "land of beautiful waters" by the Caribs. Later in the 18th century Nevis became known as "Queen of the Caribees." Evidence of pre-ceramic people abounds with finely crafted stone tools and intricately coloured pottery found.
Over the years Nevis has made a number of significant contributions to the Caribbean and the World. Two men who played part in international history were Alexander Hamilton and Lord Horatio Nelson. Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of America and its first Secretary of the Treasury was born on Nevis on January 11, 1757. Nelson, Britains most famous admiral, used Nevis as a base of operations in the mid 1780's and married a Nevisian, Frances Nisbet in 1787.
Nevis continued to be part of the British colonial holdings until 1967 when it achieved Associated Statehood with St. Kitts. On September 19, 1983, Nevis became part of an independent nation and form part of the sovereign democratic state of St.Christopher and Nevis. It has the unique constitutional arrangement of being part of the Federal Parliament while having a separate parliament and its own Nevis Island Administration headed by a Premier.

Nevis is the Birth Place of Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804)

Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 in Charlestown on the West Indies island of Nevis. He was born out of wedlock to Rachel Faucitt Lavien and James Hamilton, who abandoned the family in 1765. A local clergyman raised funds to send Alexander away to school in 1773. He entered Kings College (now known as Columbia University) in 1774.

In the Revolutionary War he distinguished himself in the eyes of General Washington who made him one of his six aides-de-camp (secretaries) in 1777, and rode beside him in the battles at Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth. Hamilton married Elizabeth Schuyler in 1780, with whom he had eight children.

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Alexander Hamilton's picture sits on US ten dollar Note

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LEGAL SYSTEM

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Secrecy of information is protected by the Confidential Relationship Act of 1985 of St. Kitts and Nevis. This Act prohibits the disclosure of any information obtained in the course of business, and applies to banks and professionals as well as Government officials.

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AML Guidance Notes    [ Download ]
AML Regulation    [ Download ]
AML Regulations Amendments   [ Download ]
Exchange of Information Regulations    [ Download ]
Financial Intelligence Unit Act 2000    [ Download ]
Financial Services Commission Act    [ Download ]
Nevis Business Corporation Ordinance 1984 as amended    [ Download ]
Nevis Limited Liability Company Ordinance 1985    [ Download ]
Nevis International Exempt Trust Ordinance as amended 1994    [ Download ]
Nevis Offshore Banking Ordinance    [ Download ]
Proceeds of Crime Act 2000    [ Download ]