BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MINISTER of Public Works and Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Number One – the Hon. Dr. Asim Martin – has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) of St. Christopher and Nevis.
The announcement was made this evening (Feb. 5) by Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas in a brief address to the nation.
Contacted by this publication for a comment, DPM Martin expressed that he understands the responsibilities attached to that office, adding that he believes he is capable of efficiently executing same.
“It is an appointment that has been made by the Hon. Prime Minister in which it gives me some additional responsibility which I will carry out to the best of my ability just as I have carried out my responsibilities as a minister from 1995 to the present. And I look forward to the support of the other Members of Cabinet as we continue to carry out the functions and the duties of the government as a means of improving the quality of life of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
The appointment was made necessary following last week’s resignation of the then Deputy Prime Minister, Sam T. Condor, from Dr. Douglas’ Cabinet.
PM Douglas indicated that upon receiving the resignation, he made attempts to contact Condor to thank him for his service, among other things, but his attempts wered futile.
The need for him to accept the resignation privately was the cause of delay in addressing the nation, he explained.
Condor served in that capacity in excess of 15 years and Dr. Douglas – during the address – thanked him for that service.
The vacancy also resulted in existing Ministers taking on additional responsibilities.
The Prime said he approached the Governor-General, Sir Edmund Lawrence, and asked that he make specific ministerial appointments to reflect the following:
• The Social Security Board under the ambit of Prime Minister Douglas;
• The Honourable Patrice Nisbett to have responsibility for the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security and Labour; and
• The Ministries of International Trade, Industry and Commerce and Consumer Affairs to be the responsibility of the Hon. Richard Skerritt.
This is the second such change to have taken place in about a week and a half, with the first following the ejecting of then Senior Minister Dr. Timothy S. Harris from Dr. Douglas’ Cabinet.
Nearing the conclusion of his address, Dr. Douglas spoke of economic advancements which have been experienced across St. Christopher and Nevis, noting that regardless of “the sometimes frenzied political propaganda, this democratically elected government has always been guided by the dictates of our Constitution and this we shall continue to do. There is a great deal of work to be done. There is our Constitution that must be upheld. And to both, you can be assured, this government, your government, is completely committed”.
