BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THERE seems to be some discrepancy between the Nevis Reformation Party’s (NRP) account of the national debt, which they left after exiting office, and that of the ruling Concerned Citizens Movement’s (CCM), which it inherited after assuming office earlier this year.
Deputy Premier of Nevis and Deputy Leader of the CCM the Hon. Mark Brantley – in an interview with WINNFM – explained that during the CCM’s 23-year leadership of Nevis prior to 2006, it racked up an island debt of $150M. But during the six years of the NRP’s governance (2006-2013) the island debt more than doubled. And when the CCM regained power in January 2013 the debt stood at $400M.
While Brantley described these figures as incontrovertible, former Premier of Nevis and Leader of the NRP the Hon. Joseph Parry – in an interview with SKNVibes – said Brantley’s account is inaccurate.
Parry indicated that he could not remember the exact debt that his government met when it entered office in 2006, but noted it was in the realm of $280M.
And whatever the debt is that the NRP-government left after exiting office, Parry declared that it came about as a result of infrastructural development, efforts to keep the economy afloat and because of his government’s decision not to place its workers on the breadline when the situation demanded it.
Brantley - also speaking with WINNFM - explained that when the CCM entered office it inherited a situation where it had no fiscal space within which to manoeuvre. And having also inherited a situation where a legally-binding agreement signed by the NRP was in effect for the swapping of more than 200 acres of land.
Parry however maintains that all that was signed under his directorship is a Memorandum of Understanding, which is not legally-binding.
Nonetheless, he agrees that the land-for-debt swap is the best and most effective way to tackle the island’s debt and the CCM should follow through with it.
The former Premier launched a challenge to the sitting CCM government to inform the public of the different options which, according to him, it has declared that it is looking into.
Parry said it is not enough to indicate that options are being explored and that there needs to be more information fed to the Nevisian public on the conflicting issue.
