Premier Amory

Charlestown Nevis (March 24, 2004) -- Contrary to what some people are saying, the Nevis Island Administration has not lost interest in pursuing the issue of independence for the island.

 

According to the Honourable Premier, Mr Vance Amory, the matter of independence for Nevis is high on the agenda of the Administration. He however said that a date for the referendum could only be decided after a number of amendments would have been made to the draft constitution, and tabled in the House of Assembly to allow for further discussions.

 

In a radio and television address to the nation Wednesday evening, Premier Amory said: “Your CCM Government has already placed before the people of this country its intention to pursue independence of Nevis based on the provisions of the Constitution.

 

“We have made it quite clear to all and sundry, to foreign representatives, to the people of this country and to all who have inquired that we will pursue the process for independence”.

 

Premier Amory explained that having laid the draft constitution for Nevis and the explanatory notes before the Assembly in accordance with the provisions and the requirements of the Constitution, it was found that there were some deficiencies in the draft.

 

An example he cited was the fact that the draft Constitution did not contain the provisional transitions that would provide for the preservation of the laws of the country when the people would have voted ‘yes’ in a referendum, to move to independence.

 

He pointed out that during town hall meetings, a number of persons raised their views on the issue of independence for Nevis, and that the Administration has also considered the advice of two QCs and other persons it has consulted and concluded that there was need to add the amendments to the draft constitution, as it would govern the people of Nevis when they go to vote in the referendum.

 

“These amendments are now being looked at by a local lawyer and he has advised that the draft will be ready in another couple of days and we shall therefore be making a decision to hasten the new draft amended constitution in the House of Assembly in the next few weeks,” promised the Premier.

He pointed out that all of the excitement, which grew up last month (February), in respect of a date for the referendum “was clearly only a sham, created by those who were seeking to twist the arm of the Administration to do what we had not planned to do.”

 

The Premier further stated, “Let me state that at no time had the Administration set a date for a referendum, and we shall certainly continue to dialogue with the people of this country (through town hall meetings) so that they will have a full understanding of all of the implications of this matter of Nevis becoming independent.”

 

In his speech, the Premier touched on a number of issues and advised that the matter of seeking independence was not simply a matter to do with revenues from St. Kitts, but it was about the dignity of the people of Nevis, and their ability to take their stand in the world as a separate and distinct people.

 

On the issue of globalisation and trade liberalisation, Premier Amory said that “these issues have been with us all of our lives, from 1651 when we had the Navigation Act, which allowed for the trading of the sugar and other products of the colonies of Britain.”

 

He said that Nevisians would continue to reiterate that they would support the processes of democracy, the processes of free trade, the process of movement of resources and capital, because they believe and subscribe to the issue of a borderless country.

 

On trade between St. Kitts and Nevis, Premier Amory stated that his Administration had indicated to the government of St. Kitts that it would be in the interest of the people of St. Kitts as the volume of trade of goods, which are traded from St. Kitts to Nevis, far outweighs anything that Nevisians could sell to St. Kitts.

 

“And I want the people of Nevis to get away from this tradition that we have to sell mangoes on St. Kitts,” commented the Premier. “The sale of our produce to St. Kitts is minuscule compared to what is being sold from St. Kitts to Nevis. We are seeing, in addition, that the farmers from St. Kitts are now coming to Nevis to sell their produce. Does that tell us something?”

 

In his closing remarks, he said that Nevisians now know his Government well, and that he is a man who keeps his word, and promised that his word this time is that they would pursue the issue of Nevis’ independence through thick and thin to the end, “because I do believe that the destiny of this country, as an independent country, can make Nevisians, and Nevis a great country in the Caribbean.”