By Ron Daniel

Let me preface this article by saying that I believe that everyone who has a right to vote also has the right to choose which party they would like to vote for. I do not hate or despise any CCM supporter and genuinely wish that all of us as Nevisians can live together despite our political differences. However, I have always been proud to associate myself with the Nevis Reformation Party. While I have always been a staunch supporter of the NRP even before 2006, since July 2006 my cup runneth over with immense pride at being associated with such an august party. In this article I wish to briefly chronicle the achievements of the NRP while making the point that the CCM continues to make the most vicious and vacuous arguments in their unfortunate attempt to discredit the obvious progress the NRP has made while in government.

The NRP made the point during the 2006 campaign that one of their priorities was education and training. Since then, more than 200 persons have either been assisted with scholarships to university or have been exposed to a variety of training programmes both here and overseas. Students in high school now have school textbooks made available to students free of charge. They have also provided support for the schools meals programme in St John’s Primary and upgraded the facilities at St Thomas’ Primary Schools. Minister Hector has transformed agriculture since assuming the post of Minister with Nevis now exporting cotton as well as increasing output in onions, meats, tomatoes and the like. More than 250 houses have been built under his leadership and land prices have fallen by more than 40%  to a mere $3.50 per square foot for young first time land owners. He was also the one who spearheaded the charge to bring a Drag Racing Strip to Nevis.

Hon Hensley Daniel has acted like a man on a mission since assuming office instituting programmes like the Social Action Programme, the Homework Help Programme, establishing the Nevis Cultural Foundation,  instituting programmes for the elderly, instituting Men’s Health Clinics, acquiring a new garbage truck from Social Security for the Solid Waste Management Authority and totally transforming the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority, providing duty free concessions to small business owners, acquiring two new ambulances for the hospital, providing scholarships through the Alexandra Hamilton Scholarship Fund, among other things.

Carlisle Powell has done roads in Nevis that CCM blatantly neglected and has done some roads that people didn’t even know existed. He has also been the one responsible for ensuring that Nevis now has running water 24 hours a day even during this terrible period of drought. Under his leadership, the Public Works Department has been transformed into a department where the public can actually see them working and maintenance that was always badly needed is now being done. The highlight of his stewardship is probably laying the groundwork for Nevis in 2010 to be able to move to clean green energy geothermally. Minister Cozier has been a watchdog on price control and has gone above and beyond to facilitate trade, entrepreneurship and small business in Nevis. Parry, like a master leader, has shepherded his flock well providing impeccable leadership and supervision while also making strides in tourism, education and financial services inter alia. 

This is definitely not a good time to be a CCM supporter and we have seen it by the responses. Instead of using their radio programmes, The SKN List, their website and public meetings to discuss the issues, they have resorted to speaking about how the Premier looks, spreading the rumour that Hensley is suffering from skin cancer, saying that Hector is ready to jump ship, calling down Llewellyn Parris and Deli Caines Bussue, cursing every white person associated with the NRP and spreading seeds of racial division, cursing the NRP for allowing the Sea Bridge to become a reality and saying that the road that goes from Cotton Ground through Barnes Ghuat and Jessups was done to satisfy Reginal Kawaja in Paradise. 

They have also gone on to say that if NRP were not in power, Newfound, which is now dead broke, would have completed their hotel already. If that were not enough, they have accused every single member of the NRP Cabinet with sleeping with members of their staff. They have said that there will be lots of accidents at the Drag Racing Strip whenever there is racing, they have threatened to close down the Drag Racing Strip when they come into office and they cursed off the minister of Health for bringing a garbage truck that they claim is too big for Nevis while St Kitts is salivating over the same garbage truck. 

That is not all. CCM Candidates themselves have been claiming that the steam from the geothermal is dangerous and can cause harm to people’s lungs, and they have even blamed the mini earthquakes that Nevis had last year on geothermal exploration only to have independent experts refute their claim. The accusations are getting more and more ridiculous and rambunctious. However, it does not end there. When the Drag Race Strip was being opened on Independence Day, they wilfully planned a beachnic at Herbert’s Beach so that no CCM supporter would attend, and yet still more than 6000 persons attended. 

They have stated that BEAD, which is the company engaged in drilling for water, has really found no new wells but really dug up old ones. Again, this was refuted with incontrovertible evidence. One radio host has also berated the NRP for giving too much duty free to the local investors in Nevis and has gone on to say that the seniors should not be appreciated on television.

  Another host used the radio airwaves to discourage people from buying any of the houses the government is providing under the affordable housing scheme, saying now was not the time to buy any house. In time, I expect them to say that Hensley is an alien from out of space and that Parry has a mansion now being built in Iraq. They may even say that I am a woman who is pretending to be a man. I expect the verbal diarrhoea espoused by the CCM to continue and get even more creative.

As I said earlier, at this juncture, (stealing a phrase from Edric Stanley), I would really hate to be a CCM. I hate to be associated with anything and cannot defend it, and right now if I were a CCM the only thing I could say about the NRP is that they are making the CCM look small. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I enjoy a good argument, but I have often found the best strategy to use when I have a weak point is not to say anything at all, or simply concede that I may be wrong as anything else would mean that I would have to sin my soul.
 
For the CCM to come up with these weak and weary accusations simply to keep or increase support is profusely pathetic.    If I were a CCM supporter I would just ensure that I never get into any political discussions with any NRP. I would just say hi, hello and discuss solutions for crime and the world economy. I wouldn’t let the CCM’s irascible and irrational arguments make me sin my soul, because even blind Bartimaeus could see the profound progress being made by the NRP.