BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Federation’s first Prime Minister and former Parliamentary Representative of Constituency Two, the Rt. Hon. Kennedy Simmonds has called on all residents of Central Basseterre to elect Jonel Powell over the incumbent Hon. Marcella Liburd on Election Day next Monday.
Simmonds was at the time making an appearance on Team Unity’s platform last evening (Feb. 9) on Market Street and stated that all youths should be happy to elect Powell.
“Brothers and sisters, I come here tonight to endorse and support Jonel Powell to be the representative for this area. Anybody under the age of 40 should be happy that here is a young person being lifted up by the People’s Action Movement and embraced by Team Unity and offered to you as a representative.”
He indicated that Powell had the proper attributes for service.
“When I look at this young man Jonel, Jonel has come out the bowels of PAM. He was a young Pamite. If nothing else Jonel remembers two things - for sure you only have to look at any PAM document and you see putting people first; and the next thing he was brought up on is we must strive for unity. That is like the breast milk to a child!
“We are on the threshold of a serious election and I am calling on all who in the past and today have purported to be supporters of the Peoples Action Movement to give Jonel your full support.
Simmonds also called on supporters of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party to give their support to Powell.
“I am calling on all the supporters of Labour who love their country and who have a conscious to come out of the woodwork and give your support in Central Basseterre to Jonel Powell.
“I am so happy that this young man has come forward, and I will say to you and say to him that you can be confident of his new intent and you can be confident of his will to serve. When you put him in office you will have to hold him back a little bit because he will be anxious to produce for you the people of this country and not for himself.”
Simmonds led the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis out of statehood into independence and was sworn in as the First Prime Minister. He was also credited with paying for the sugar lands that were previously acquired by the late Robert Bradshaw.
