BASSETERRE, ST. Kitts -- LEADER of the People’s Action Movement (PAM), Shawn Richards is of the firm view that if the need arises his party could go solo in contesting all eight seats on St. Kitts in the next General Elections.
Richards, in response to reporters questions on rumours of one member of the Team Unity coalition is seeking to field eight candidates in the next General Elections, reaffirmed his party’s commitment to working with the construct, saying: “We stand behind of that!”
This comes against the backdrop of the PAM moving to strengthen its internal organs and the party at the constituency level where it will rebuild and connect again with the people as it focuses on 2025.
Based on the agreement signed by the three parties that currently make up the Government, Richards is expected to run for the Prime Ministership in 2025.
As it currently stands, the three-party Unity Government is made up of the People’s Action Movement which fielded five candidates at the 2020 General Elections and won four seats, the People’s Labour Party with two seats, and the Concerned Citizens Movement with three seats from Nevis.
While unveiling Natasha Grey as the party’s new candidate for Constituency Number1, East Basseterre, the party’s Leader was asked to address the concern of fielding candidates and the competition that would bring to the coalition.
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“If any one of the other parties desire to contest the next elections on its own, of course that is the choice of that particular political entity. Likewise, it is also an option that the People’s Action Movement is free to exercise at any point in time,” explained Richards.
But, currently, there is an agreement that one of the two parties in the construct on St. Kitts would field a candidates within a constituency that the other would not.
“The People’s Action Movement is aware of all of the political realities. Being aware of all of the political realities also means being willing and able to contest an election on its own if absolutely necessary,” he added.
There is still four years remaining for the parties to determine their make-up for the next polls and come to an agreement on the way forward to not compete against each other.
“I therefore say that the People’s Action Movement has a strong record on which to stand, a strong record on which it can go before the people of St. Kitts and Nevis in any constituency,” Richards said.
