Party leader wants separate candidates for local and general elections
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AFTER months of heavily criticizing the Premier of Nevis the Hon. Vance Amory and his Deputy the Hon. Mark Brantley for what they describe as “double dipping” and not giving much attention to the business of the people of Nevis, the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) has ratified its constitution to ensure that its candidates are never found in such a situation.
While Amory and Brantley serve as the leaders of the Nevis Island Administration, they also hold prominent position as Senior Ministers in the Federal Government.
During their recently-held convention in Charlestown, Nevis, NRP leader Joseph W. Parry again lashed out on Amory and Brantley for their daily travels through “the shark-infested waters” to, as they described, run the affairs of Nevis island from downtown Basseterre.
The former Premier reminded the audience that both men are being paid two salaries to carry out their duties both in Nevis and in St. Kitts.
“They get two salaries to swim the shark-infested waters – two full salaries… one from Basseterre and the other from Charlestown,” claimed Parry.
Against that backdrop, the NRP leader told the delegates and party supporters, “never again should we allow the government (Nevis Island Administration) to go back to Basseterre” and as such the party implemented revamped its constitution to provide for the fielding of separate candidates for the Local and Federal Elections.
“Once you are a member of the Nevis Island Assembly you cannot be nominated to contest the Federal election,” Parry added.
He charged that his loyalty is to the people of Nevis and only to the people of Nevis; not to the opposition St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party nor the Federal Government of the day, which is led by Dr. Hon. Timothy Harris.
This means that their candidate from Constituency #11, the Hon. Patrice Nisbett would not be up for election in 2018, when the Nevisian public goes back to the polls for local Government elections.
Outside of the NRP, the SKNLP has also been voicing its displeasure with the double salary issue.
