BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – INFORMATION reaching SKNVibes this morning (May 10) indicated that Speaker of the National Assembly the Hon. Franklin Brand has tendered his resignation.
In an effort to ascertain the authenticity of the information, this media house had contacted Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Shawn Richards and the Hon. Eugene Hamilton, who holds the portfolio for Leader of Government Business, both of whom claimed not to have any knowledge of the Speaker’s resignation.
Contact was also made with the Deputy Speaker, the Hon. Michael Perkins, to whom it was asked if he could “comment on the rumour of the Speaker’s resignation”. He categorically stated that he could not offer any comment on the rumour.
Efforts to contact the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, the Hon. Vincent Byron Byron Jr., were futile.
However, an informed source close to the Team Unity Administration stated that Brand did tender his resignation but “it is low-keyed at this time”.
Since elected Speaker of the House, the businessman and past President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce had only sat through a Parliamentary Sitting on a couple of occasions.
He first occupied the vacant esteemed chair on Thursday, May 14, 2015 when the Federal Parliament was convened for the first time under the tri-party Team Unity Government after winning the February 2015 General Elections.
Reportedly, after sitting through the Prime Minister’s presentation and that of the Leader of the Opposition during last year’s Budget Debate, Speaker Brand had sought absence from the House and all other presentations were heard by his Deputy.
It was subsequently reported that he was overseas.
He was again absent at the last Sitting in April.
At this time, it is not known if the Speaker of the National Assembly resignation is due to illness or for some other reason, as this publication awaits official word from the government.
