Nevis, West Indies. ?A Non-Tourist-Trap? Blog About Nevis.

CARICOM Officials - Bowen and Raggie (r)
Charlestown, Nevis
January 25, 2010

Project Officer in the Guyana based CARICOM Secretariat Ms. Mignon Bowen said the Secretariat had received a lot of exposure from the many observer missions it has mounted, with regard to the management and observation of the electoral process in member states.

She made the observation on Friday during a visit to Nevis to meet with Premier of Nevis Hon. Joseph Parry and other stakeholders, ahead of Monday’s General Elections.

“One of the things about doing these observer missions …is it actually builds capacity annd so where we have strength in one system and a weakness in one, we are monitoring [and] we try, in terms of our recommendations, to see how best the strengths in that system could be applicable to this one.

“That is why we have persons like Mr. Raggie who is the Supervisor of Elections in St. Lucia and we also have the Deputy Chief Supervisor of Elections from Trinidad Ms. Charles Wright.  So those persons would use their knowledge to strengthen another member state’s system if there needs be,” she said.

Ms. Bowen said the observer team was pleased to be in the Federation and she was pleased to be a part of the observer mission.

“It is very honourable for you to be part of an Electoral Observer Mission and we are pleased to be of service to the people of the region and especially the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Meantime, Mr. Carson Raggie who accompanied Ms. Bowen on the Nevis visit said he was hopeful any recommendations that were submitted, would be taken into consideration.

He also registered his satisfaction with the introduction of the Voters ID card which he said was one recommendation made by the CARICOM Observer Mission after the last general election five years ago.

Related posts:

1. Nevis Premier Welcomes Caricom Electoral Observer Team
2. Heads of CARICOM and OAS Observer Missions To Call on PM Douglas
3. St. Kitts - Nevis Elections Overseen By CARICOM
4. OAS To Observe St. Kitts - Nevis Elections
5. Ballot Confidentiality A Priority For Elections Officials

January 25, 2010 - Election Day

Basseterre, St. Kitts - Nevis
People’s Action Movement
January 23, 2010

When Dr. Kennedy Simmonds refused to accept defeat in the bi-election of 25th January, 1979, it proved to be the start of what was to become a very important rescue mission for St. Kitts and Nevis. The declaration by the High Court on 13th March, 1979 that Dr. Kennedy Simmonds had in fact won the bi-election of 25th January, turned this country around.

The Labour Administration was thrown into a panic. They could not bring themselves to accept the decision of the Court. They refused to call a meeting of the House of Assembly to swear in Dr. Simmonds. But look at what that did. By not calling the House of Assembly, the Labour Administration did not meet to pass any legislation for over 12 months. Shortly after that bi-election of the 25th of January, on 6th February, 1979, Labour hurriedly called a meeting of the House of Assembly to swear in Mr. Ribeiro. At that time the Election Petition of Dr. Kennedy Simmonds had already been filed and served on Mr. Ribeiro.

Just to keep the rightful winner of the bi-election, Dr. Kennedy Simmonds, from taking his rightful seat in Parliament, no other meeting of the House of Assembly was called for the rest of the year 1979.

History is repeating itself. Just like this year, 2010, the year 1980 dawned with St. Kitts and Nevis WITHOUT A BUDGET. The general elections of February 18th, 1980 were held without this country having a budget. This disgrace was the last straw for the People of St. Kitts and Nevis. Overburdened with Labour’s taxation and with Labour’s corruption in Government, the Electorate refused to give the Labour misleaders another chance.

It was the best thing that ever happened to St. Kitts and Nevis. The PAM-NRP Coalition Government in 1980 abolished personal income tax. This bold move allowed people to keep more money in their pockets and fuelled a tremendous growth in local investment. The new PAM-NRP Coalition Government rescued the economy of St. Kitts. It rescued the island of Nevis from secession and ushered in a genuine partnership between our Sister Islands. The PAM-NRP Coalition Government rescued the country from the disastrous take-over of the sugar lands by Labour. Labour refused to pay the owners of the lands for the 22,000 acres.

What short-sighted Labour, what vindictive Labour could not understand was that without payment of the lands, the Government could not get Title and could not give Title.

But people must have Title to go to the bank to borrow money. The People’s Action Movement recognized this and paid for the 2,000 acres that Labour had taken away without compensation. That rescue operation by PAM has been indispensable for home ownership in St. Kitts. Regardless of how many homes Labour has built, not one of those homes could have been OWNED if PAM did not pay for the land the homes are built on.

Once again St. Kitts and Nevis need a rescue mission. They need clean hands in Government. They need relief from excessive taxation. They need a Government which will give incentives to locals in preference to foreigners who can give the Government money under the table.

It is time for PAM’s 2nd rescue mission to become a reality.

Related posts:

1. Labour Wins Historic Fourth Term In Federal Elections
2. Hamilton Promises Significant Investment In Agriculture
3. Historic Joint Cabinet Meeting Held In Nevis
4. CYAS Return Re-Energized By Historic Summit
5. Marcella Liburd Speaks Out On Government

PAM Candidate - Mr. Lindsay Grant

Basseterre, St.Kitts - Nevis
Janauary 23, 2010

Former Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and highly touted as the next Prime Minister of the federation, The Right Honorable Dr Simmons and Lindsay Grant respectively apologized to the Governments and people of Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica and Grenada for comments made by Dr Denzil Douglas some nights ago on his political platform. Both Dr Simmons and Grant said that they are truly hurt, disgusted and disappointed with the comments noting that Dr Douglas while not issuing a public apology as yet they would like to apologized on behalf of the people of St Kitts and Nevis.

While speaking on the political platform Prime Minister Douglas asked if Antiguans and Barbudians, Jamaicans and Grenadians are now paying the price of moving away from a Labour government to install a different administration. He further suggested that hardships in Antigua and Barbuda is as a result of the people removing away from a Labour administration.

However Dr. Douglas came in for a scathing critique from the governments of Antigua and Barbuda and Jamaica , which they decried for what they said, is his unprofessional uttering which they noted threatens the unity among Caribbean countries in light of CARICOM’s attempt to promote CSME.

Dr Simmons made the rally in Newton where he endorsed the leadership of the party’s political leader and candidate for constituency one, Glenroy Blanchette. Dr Simmons told the massive crew that he feels compel to apologize noting that the statement is not only an embarrassment to the him but all noting that the Prime Minister has not only disrespected the people of the other countries but also those living within St Kitts and Nevis. Dr Simons said that the statement by Dr Douglas is a clear indication that the people of this federation deserves a change and he intends to assist in whatever way possible so as to ensure that change is achieved. He reminded all that while he remains in retirement he has taken a brief “break” so as to ensure that the people can rid themselves of the “cancer” that eats away at them.

“There are some people who believes in red and yellow but there are also some who do not believes in either colours but let me say that now is not the time about red and yellow now is the time to reality that we need to save our federation from the atrocities of Dr Douglas and the Labour Party and therefore I ask if you would see your country falling apart and refuse not to lend a helping hand,” he asked.

He added, “I intend to do whatever possible that I can ton ensure that PAM gets elected to office as I  know that there is no way that a Prime Minister earning around 12,000-17,000 can be able to accumulate the number of properties that Dr Douglas has been able to. Let me say that I spent 15 years in office and 15 years out of office and I am still paying mortgage fort my one house so there is no way that one man earning that salary could have accumulated such wealth and number of properties,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, Lindsay Grant in offering his apologies stressed that upon taking the oat of Prime Minister he will seek to have an emergency meeting with the various leaders so as to see what he can do to repair the damage relationship. She stressed that the federation cannot afford further embarrassments by the Prime Minister noting that the federation will wake up to a new dawn on January 26th. He declared that the Prime Minister’s statements were deliberate, unprofessional and an insult to the heads and people of the various countries. ” Dr Douglas was deliberate and I say that we will apologies and seek ways of repairing the relationship as no longer can we continue with such a leader  anymore,” he declared.

Related posts:

1. Anthony Astaphan Refutes Statements By Lindsay Grant
2. Grant Calls On PM Douglas To Denounce Intimidation Tactics
3. Grant Warns Of Douglas And Labour Party Tactics
4. Grant Challenges Prime Minister To A Series Of Debates
5. Lindsay Grant Exposes PM Douglas’ Sinister Plot