On Thursday 28th October 2005 at the old Anglican Church School Room in Gingerland Mrs. Patricia Hanley affectionately known as "Nurse Patsy" stole the show at the NRP weekly town hall meetings. It was her maiden address having recently been announced as the Party's candidate earlier this year. People from Gingerland and around Nevis turned up as well as tuned into VON Radio to hear the nurse speak. Patsy was full of confidence and her speech took a decidedly religious slant.
In presenting her "Agenda for Gingerland" Nurse Patsy said that she was not merely throwing her hat into the ring but that she was throwing her heart into the ring. Her entrance to politics was as a result of her passion to serve the people of Gingerland and Nevis more having served as a nurse for over 32 years. "I am doing this because my heart belongs to everyone for whom Gingerland is home. I have had a fulfilling career of service as a care giver in nursing. Now, as a practising politician, I am rededicating my life to continuing service to the people of Gingerland."
In outlining some of her plans for Gingerland if elected, Nurse Paysy spoke of the need to recognize more Gingerlander's who had served in the community such as Livinston "Blackadandem" Liburd, Merrit Boddie, David Freeman, Daniel Hobson and others. She spoke of bringing integrity to government, establishing a constituency office as a means of making herself accessible for the constituency she serves, installing a traffic roundabout at Market Shop and having a bus shelter there, widening the road that leads to Rawlins, establishing a Recreational Parks in the Market Shop, Hanley's Road and Zion communities, upgrading and expanding the Public library, providing lands at affordable rates and a complete upgrade of the facilities at the Primary and High School in Gingerland.
She made the point that Gingerland for the past 18 years have not been represented and continued to ask the question, "Where is Vance". Pasty quoted Ecclesiastics which said that for everything there was a season and that this was the season of change in Nevis. Her presentation was met with rounds of applause from he crowd throughout but the crowd showed their appreciation at the end with a standing applause and a chant of "Patsy! Patsy! Patsy!". Members of the audience also got an opportunity to field questions on a variety of topics from the current health situation, to secession, to corruption in the CCM government. The full text of the speech can be found on the NRP website www.votenrp.com.
