Brantley says by-election would be best next move for Nevis
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WITHIN hours of his election to Office being ruled null and void, Deputy Premier of Nevis Hensley Daniel announced to the nation that he had tendered his resignation – with immediate effect – from the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).
“Today the Court of Appeal has ruled that my election to the Nevis Island Assembly on July 11, 2011 was null and void. In light of the Court of Appeal’s decision and consistent with my tremendous respect for decisions of our Courts and the rule of law, I am announcing that I have today tendered my resignation as a Minister of the Nevis Island Administration with immediate effect, and I have so advised the Premier, Mr. Joseph Parry.”
Daniel was sworn into office as the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Culture, Youth, Sports shortly after the July 2011 Local Elections where he was said to have edged out the Concerned Citizens Movement’s (CCM) Deputy Leader – Mark Brantley – by 14 votes.
His right to office was challenged by Brantley who felt there were mass irregularities, disenfranchisement of voters and acts of bias which were designed to and did bring about a win for the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) of which Daniel is a part.
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Nevis High Court that by virtue of the aforementioned, the seat which Daniel was said to have won is actually vacant because his election thereto was null and void.
Notwithstanding – however – Daniel has indicated that he is prepared to do battle at the polls again and has expressed confidence that he would be victorious whenever elections are called.
“The troops in Nevis Two have been mobilised and I have relocated to the battlefield in Cox. Let us be clear, elections are not won in the Courts, but at the polls. In 2006 and again in 2011, we won at the polls. We will do so again when the Hon. Premier decides to call the bi-elections.
“The Courts have spoken, now it is time for my people from Bath to Pond Hill in whom I have great confidence to speak and to speak loudly. I have no doubt that they will return me to the Nevis Island Assembly to continue the service I started, and this time, not by 14 votes, but by 14 times 14.”
While there are those who have welcomed Daniel’s reaction to the Appellate Court’s decision, Brantley told SKNVibes that he is confused by it, because, after all, how can one resign from an office from which he was fired or didn’t have in the first place?
“I don’t see how one can resign from a position from which one has been fired. The reality is that the Court has declared that he has never won his seat. He therefore was not holding a position as Minister based on any election that he won, but rather based on the irregularities that occurred. That being the case, now having confirmed that his election is vacant, null and void, there is nothing for him to resign from. So I am puzzled at the resignation because one would assume that one resigns from a position that one holds when in fact he holds no position.”
Asked what he thinks is the best way forward following these recent happenings, Brantley said a by-election would be the best next move.
“I feel the country is dealing with very difficult economic circumstances. We had a very tough election last year. It would – to me – be reckless to have an island-wide or general election when the only seat that is an issue is St. John’s. It seems to be far more sensible to allow all the people of St. John’s to vote, elect the representative of their choice in a free and fair election and allow us to get on speedily with the business of Nevis.
“It is – to me - a very reckless position to suggest that one would have a general election when one seat has been in dispute at the court and only one seat has been declared by the court to be null and void.
