BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - LEADER of the Opposition Hon. Mark Brantley has made public his openness to the concept of a Government of National Unity, stating that a new framework is needed for governance in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Speaking on WINNFM’s Voices programme on Monday (Feb. 25), Brantley stated that the current structure of government is ineffective.
“My personal view is that the existing framework is clearly not working despite what the billboards might have said an election cycle ago. I think that it is obvious to all of us that St. Kitts and Nevis is not working.”
He further explained that the current structure has proven extremely problematic.
“We have had problems perhaps that are too numerous to mention. I can talk - for example - about the situation with crime; albeit the murder rate has thankfully dropped significantly, we have had ongoing problems with crime and violence. We have problems with our social infrastructure and our physical infrastructure.
“You have had ongoing problems with electricity and the costing of electricity, high taxation, high debt and the position that was taken to alleviate that position. There are a number of pressing issues because the existing structure is not working.”
Brantley additionally outlined how beneficial a Unity Government could be to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“The concept of Unity is a concept that everybody should accept. It is a concept where all varying views must be taken into account, it is a concept that says there is strength when there is a difference in opinions, and it is a concept that says these various constituent elements will have to be taken care of.
“In that regard, it is a completely new paradigm; it is a completely new type of thinking. St. Kitts and Nevis as a country…for a very long time, has only known one thing, the polarisation of politics. And I think that has really not assisted us in our development.”
He continued, “I feel that the country needs a new direction. I feel that the same old, same old is clearly no longer working, and the ideas, the freshness of ideas and energy would be useful. We all need to renew ourselves sometimes, and countries need to renew themselves, and I believe that that would be an important initiative to move us forward and upward.”
He also clarified the statements he made in Parliament about such a government.
“What I was refuting was the Prime Minister’s statement referring to me by name in Parliament and saying how I had agreed to Dr. Harris being Prime Minister. I said at that time I had had no conversation and I felt it necessary to correct the record.
“What I will say however, is that what is necessary is when and if the parties who are proposing that come to the public and say this is what we propose to do, this is how it will work, this is the person that we have designated from amongst ourselves to be the leader of this effort, that is when I feel you can properly evaluate and say whether or not this makes sense. But currently what is being mooted about on the talk shows is really a discussion of the concept.”
