BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – REPRESENTATIVES of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) and the People’s Action Movement (PAM) have not as yet had discussions about who will become the next Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.
Coming out of Monday’s (Jan. 25) federal election, both parties claimed two of the 11 electoral seats in the Federation. The incumbent St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party returned to power with a 6-seat victory, while the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) retained its single constituency.
After the 2004 election, the parliamentary opposition benches were comprised of two CCM politicians and one representative apiece from PAM and NRP. That was enough for CCM’s Malcolm Guishard to be appointed as Opposition Leader, as Section 58 of the Constitution states that the Governor-General may appoint the representative “who appears to him to command the support of the largest single group of representatives who do not support the government”.
After Guishard’s death in 2007, fellow CCM representative Mark Brantley ascended to the prestigious position.
Now that PAM and CCM have an equal number of opposition representatives, the question as to who would take the top opposition spot has heated up. Speaking exclusively to SKNVibes, PAM’s Constituency Number Eight representative Eugene Hamilton said he and his party are focused on trying to form the government, not on who would become opposition leader.
“I have not spoken to anyone from CCM or NRP. I have not even spoken to Shawn Richards [PAM’s Constituency Number Five representative],” claimed Hamilton.
“My position and my party’s position is that we ran to form the government and though the published results say we lost, we feel the conduct of the election was questionable enough to skew the results in three constituencies. And if we are correct in that belief, then we would have the majority of seats to form the government.”
If the challenges are unsuccessful, Hamilton said he and Richards would then discuss the way forward in opposition. He noted he was not averse to holding the top position if called upon.
“I don’t see why the opposition leader couldn’t be one of us. But the Constitution says he or she must command the support of the majority of the representatives. That could be someone from my party, CCM or even NRP. It’s an interesting dynamic, and if I am the one chosen I would have no objection to it.”
Brantley confirmed that his party had no discussion with anyone from PAM and noted he would not engage in any premature speculation. However, he did reveal that he would again be CCM’s candidate for Opposition Leader instead of his returning colleague and former Nevis Premier, Vance Amory, who was elected to represent Constituency Number Ten.
Brantley also expounded on a little-known benefit of the position, namely, an office fully staffed and funded by the state.
“The Leader of the Opposition is entitled to a staffed office paid by the state. I didn’t receive that because I became leader after a by-election and I knew I wouldn’t be serving a full term.
“But should I receive that position again, I would absolutely ask for the office, and it would be in Nevis since I live here. There must be that respect for the position again.”
