BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE political machinery of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party rolled through Constituencies Six, Five and Four last Friday (Jan. 15) to nominate three of the party’s candidates on the road to the January 25 election.
These three seats perhaps saw the most excitement on Nomination Day, as all three bear significance for the party. Constituency Six has been the seat represented by the party leader for the last two decades, Constituency Five was the only seat not claimed by the party in the 2004 general elections and Constituency Four is the seat that the Leader of the opposition People’s Action Movement (PAM), Lindsay Grant, is contesting.
By 10:45 Friday morning, the crowd in St. Pauls (Constituency Six) began thickening with the sounds of horns, bells and whistles bellowing from in the village. Candidate for that area and leader of the party Dr. Denzil Douglas was ushered through St. Pauls in a mini-motorcade supported by truckloads of his constituents.
Primary school students from throughout the constituency lined the Main Road giving cheerful waves to their parliamentary representative.
At the gateway of the St. Pauls Police Station, Douglas was greeted by one of his young community members and presented with a special pen tied with red ribbons. Douglas then stepped into the room to be nominated by Patricia Phillip and Elishama Benjamin.
“It gives an exceptionally good feeling to know that the people of Newton Ground, St. Pauls, Dieppe Bay, Parsons Ground and Saddlers have shown their support in large measure,” said Douglas.
In addressing the media, Douglas added, “I believe they have done the right thing because they have ensured that with my re-election in this constituency, it gives me the opportunity to lead this country once again and continue the progress that we have started and reject the promises that are being made by those whose record do not qualify them for leadership in this country.”
With the noise of supporters increasing in the background, Douglas said the crowd’s support is a slight indication of what he is expecting at the polls.
“I expect massive support at the polls. Nothing, I believe, would please these people more than to see my opponent lose his deposit,” Douglas added.
The supporters then travelled through the constituency with much music and fanfare en route to the town of Sandy Point, where the party’s candidate Dr. Norgen Wilson would next be nominated. Although a new player on the political scene, Wilson seemed very confident as he scaled the stairs of the Sandy Point Police Station supported by James Pemberton and Keisha Archibald.
Following his nomination as candidate for Constituency #5, Wilson said he is willing and ready to serve the people of his hometown.
“Sandy Point for me hangs in the balance. I don’t see Sandy Point as something to talk about Labour and PAM. I see it as a clannish community and Sandy Pointers will always be Sandy Pointers. Sandy Point is my interest and I only want to serve the people of Sandy Point,” Dr. Wilson told SKNVibes.
The motorcade grew as the Labour candidates and supporters travelled to the Old Road Police Station to pledge their support for another new candidate, Glenn ‘Ghost’ Phillip, who is replacing the veteran Rupert Herbert. Phillip, joined by party leader Douglas, marched up Station Street and was trailed by hundreds of party supporters.
Kristen Hendrickson and Evans Burrows nominated the young politician from Challengers, placing their confidence in him to be victorious at the polls.
“It’s great when you can represent your people at the highest level and that’s what I’m here to do. I’m not certain about [Grant] being the PM; he’ll have to beat me first. In St. Kitts, we vote for candidates, not PMs. I just want to serve the people of this constituency and the people of St. Kitts,” Phillip said to this media house after leaving the police station with his nomination forms in the air.
All eight candidates of the Labour party were nominated on Friday and the party is hopeful to be returned to government following the upcoming January 25 election.
