Progress in the Federation includes Nevis
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – “So, therefore, we having this meeting here tonight and we are speaking of seriously progressing in Nevis. We don’t have to progress Nevis by having Mark Brantley here. Mr. Hector is here! Hector is already here! So if Mark Brantley wanted to come, he is free to come. Hector is here...so let’s move on.”
This is one of the many statements Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas made in response to one made by a female member of the audience at the Federal Government-sponsored ‘Conversation for Progress’ held last night (Nov. 18) at the Jessups Community Center in Nevis.
The female said: “...If you are genuinely serious about bringing progress and all that cataflam you talk about to Nevis, I honestly think that if you were serious you should have had even my Area Representative the Hon. Mark Brantley...”
The woman’s statement was intended to precede her question, which was not asked because of a vociferous and angry crowd that disapproved her choice of words which were also rebuked by the chairperson of the event, who noted that respect must be shown and given to the Prime Minister.
Dr. Douglas however asked the crowd of mainly supporters of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) to “simmer down”.
Dr. Douglas told the audience that he is serious about progress in both islands and noted that there is a turnaround of the Federation’s economy, initiated was initiated by the Labour Party Government.
“The Federal Government is exceptionally serious about progress in our country; progress in St. Kitts and Progress in Nevis. In fact, we constantly outline the progress we are making in St. Kitts as a Federal Government for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“There is scarcely any federal policy that has been implemented by this government that has down-treated the people of Nevis. One of the important areas that we have seen progress in our country in recent times is in the economy. We have seen a turnaround in the economy of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
He noted that his Government has been successful in reducing the national debt and had advised the Nevis Island Administration to employ the same initiative that created the reduction.
“We tackled, for example, as part of the economic turnaround, the Debt for Land Swap initiative. We employed that particular initiative to tackle our national debt. We did so successfully in St. Kitts. We advised the Nevis Island Administration to follow suit. Under the administration of Joseph Parry, the structures were put in place.”
He however pointed out that the new Administration under Premier Amory, at that time, shot down the initiative but is now walking in his Government’s footsteps.
“The Nevis Island Administration under Premier Amory, for a moment, felt that it was not necessary so to do. But today Premier Amory and the Nevis Island Administration have followed suit, and I believe there shortly, as a result of tackling Nevis’ own debt in that particular way, we shall see some economic progress for the people of Nevis as well.”
In an effort to cement his explanation of progress for both islands, the Prime Minister spoke to the unemployment of the nation’s youth and what his Administration did to combat the situation.
“When recently we employed the funds from the SIDF in order to advance our Federation, to stimulate the economy in both St. Kitts and Nevis by providing incentives, those incentives were employed in St. Kitts as well as in Nevis to ensure that we deal with the unemployment situation among the young people and to provide opportunities for scarce acquisition. We ensured that the programme initiated to the SIDF, the PEP, not only is being enjoyed in St. Kitts, but it is also being enjoyed in Nevis.”
He stressed that whatever progress there has been for St. Kitts, similar opportunities are being provided for progress in Nevis.
Meanwhile, former Premier and Leader of the NRP, the Hon. Joseph Parry, also commented on the statement made by the young woman.
“I want to say to all of us that we can listen to each other. We can afford to listen to each other because we know that sometimes people are sent, and sent with a message. So we don’t have to take on the message.”
Noting his interpretation of the young woman’s statement, in what he termed message, Parry insinuated that Brantley and the CCM-led Administration are incapable of governing Nevis and need Dr. Douglas’ input.
“What is in...the message, is that Mark can’t run Nevis so he needs the Prime Minister to help him to run Nevis, just like the CCM Government needs the Prime Minister because, hear what she said: ‘If he wants to do things in Nevis he should have Mark Brantley here.’ But why did they elect Mark Brantley, because he looks good? So we don’t have to worry...is an admission of incompetence, is an admission of having no vision and an admission of no creativity in this country. That is what it is and nothing else!”
Parry told the audience that when the NRP was working with the Labour Government, Brantley was complaining and criticising their every move. “He and Vance Amory went and join with Unity; a clear indication that they don’t want to work with Labour. So what is the point tonight?”
He continued: “Prime Minister and all members of the panel, let me tell you something. We are going to move Nevis forward and NRP and Labour together will move Nevis forward.
Parry insinuated that if he were in place of the young woman, instead of making the statement she did, he would have questioned when would the LED lights “come Nevis and when will the computers come to Nevis, because our children need the computers and we need the cheaper lights”.
