BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, FEBRUARY 24th, 2017 (PRESS SEC) — One of the key messages directed at the large crowd during Tuesday night’s Good Governance and Accountability for Prosperity town hall meeting was that the Team Unity Government will continue to work hard to maintain the level of determination, focus, loyalty and support from the people that saw it handily win the general elections of Monday, February 16th, 2015.
The Honourable Lindsay Grant, Minister of Tourism, International Trade, Industry and Commerce, told the lively audience that, “I want you to keep focused; focused because you had been focused prior to the election for two years, three years, fighting for a cause that you believed in.”
Minister Grant then made a reference to the venue of last Tuesday’s town hall. “It started here [OOJJ’s Conference Centre on the Camps Main Road]. Right in here it started. As a matter of fact, Family [a Team Unity catchword] was coined right in here at one of the many meetings that you came to, and at those meetings…you were all riled up because you didn’t like what the government of the day was doing.”
The Minister of Tourism et al. continued: “So the people, including you, rose up against them...and we have corrected a lot of wrongs of the government just gone, and you have to protect your government…You have to rally for your government because this is the People’s Government.”
Indeed, the Team Unity Movement – which officially launched on Thursday, September 26th, 2013 at Greenlands Park with Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris as its leader – originated from the voices of the ordinary people and stays true to that spirit today.
This spirit was embodied in the passionate words of ‘Jam Down’ [Mr. Elvis Manners] when he spoke at the St. Peter’s Community Centre on Tuesday, August 16th, 2016. During a Discussions for Prosperity town hall meeting, he said: “A’ you doing a good job, and Jam Down ain’ build nothing to mash up!”
Speaking six days later on His Excellency Ambassador Michael Powell’s immensely popular radio program – The People’s Voice on Sugar City 90.3 FM – Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, who was the special guest, explained that, “Team Unity is an idea that will never die.”
Prime Minister Harris elaborated, saying: “Team Unity represents a vision for developing a small island state, maximizing the resources available to a small country across the partisan divide and, in the context of our Federation, across the island divide of Nevis and St. Kitts. That idea was one that caught the attention of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis way back before 2013 – in fact, when persons like Washington Archibald, like ‘Mr. Culture’ [Vincent Robelto Benjamin], like ‘Mr. Politics’ [Wendell Dorsett], and ‘Jam Down’ [Elvis Manners] and others had said to the country that we needed a new vision and a new way that would bring a more cohesive country and put the country to work.”
The Honourable Prime Minister also said on The People’s Voice last August that, “Team Unity as a Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is stronger than ever and cohesively working to fulfill the mandate of the ordinary people…Our message resonated and Team Unity is alive and well, stronger than ever. We are still here and we are working on behalf of the people.”
During Tuesday night’s town hall at the OOJJ’s Conference Centre, the Honourable Lindsay Grant reminded the people of St. Kitts and Nevis just how much the Team Unity Government’s hard work has borne fruit.
Minister Grant said that, “What I want to tell you is that no government in the history of this country has done 51 things they promised in two years. Give yourselves a round of applause!”
As the thunderous applause resonated in the OOJJ’s Conference Centre, the Minister of Tourism et al. added: “This government, within the first two months of having been elected, removed VAT from food, medicines, educational supplies and funeral expenses…We have done that for the people.”
The Honourable Ian Patches Liburd, Minister of Public Infrastructure, Posts, Urban Development and Transport, told the exuberant town hall audience in West Basseterre that, “We’ve said that we will construct an East Line Bus Terminal. We have started that. We’ve said an all-weather Mondo surface athletic track in Nevis. That has started, too. We’ve said we’ll build a new, modern Basseterre High School. That will start soon in the next couple of months. We’ve said that we will conduct a feasibility study toward the construction of a bridge joining St. Kitts and Nevis. That will go to Cabinet soon as well, and I can go on and on. Your Team Unity administration has been working.”
Minister Liburd continued: “I say to you, my Family, in closing, I want to ask you a simple question, and I want you to leave with that tonight and keep it forever in your minds or for the rest of the year at least.”
The Minister of Public Infrastructure et al. asked the question: “Are you better off under a Team Unity administration for the last two years than under the rejected Labour party? Are you?” A bell rippled through the room along with enthusiastic clapping and affirmations of “yeah!” at that moment.
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