Brantley blasts PM for telling Nevisians to 'wait'

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Published on Thursday, 06 September 2012 22:29

Written by Clive Bacchus

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St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN):  Deputy Political Leader of Nevis' Concerned Citizens Movement(CCM) Mark Brantley, is taking issue with the Prime Minister’s recent advice that the CCM should be patient in the wake of the Appeal Court’s ruling that the 2011 election in St John’s Nevis was null and void.  

"The advice to CCM?  Take it easy.  Wait on the decision of the Skipper.  The Premier has a decision to make.  Wait on him.  Prepare yourselves  as you wait, but wait on him, becasue he has a decision to make.  Wait on him, and whatever is the decision then you get into play, but prepare for play in the meantime," the PM said last week.  

He was responding to a reporter who asked him what advice he would offer to the NRP and the CCM under the circumstances.

The Appeal Court’s ruling has both parties on Nevis with two seats each.  The CCM is pushing for an early election, while the ruling Nevis Reformation Party's (NRP) leader, Premier Joseph Parry is keeping the Opposition guessing and is yet to show his hand.  

It is unclear when elections will be held and whether Nevisians would be invited to vote in a by-election to fill the St John's vacancy, or an island-wide election where all the constituencies would be at stake.

Wednesday on his program "On the Mark" aired on VON radio, Mr. Brantley chastised the prime minister for his remarks.

He made the following statement:

"Denzil Douglas was the same man who was in charge of the Labour Party in 1993, not so long ago.  In 1993 let us remember, the People's Action Movement in St. Kitts as the incumbent government with the NRP got four seats.  Denzil Douglas and the Labour Party got four seats.  Then over in Nevis the CCM got two seats and the NRP of Joseph Parry got one seat.

Mr. Joseph Parry decided to join with PAM, to give PAM five seats, leaving four seats for Labour and two seats for CCM in Opposition.  However, those four for Labour and the two for CCM were not together, becasue the CCM had said it was not prepared to join with any party in St. Kitts.  

Dr. Douglas therefore had four seats out of eleven seats.  The same number as PAM, but four out of eleven Federal seats was all he had.  

In speaking about the events of 1993 that transpired, here's what the same Denzil Douglas who just told us a moment ago we ought to be calm and wait on the skipper, here's what he said in speaking to those events..."

Mr. Brantley then proceeded to play a clip of Dr. Douglas on the political platform:

"I don't want to incite anybody!  You know I don't want to incite you!  You know I capable of doing that!  You remember in 1993?  You know I am capable of doing that you know!  Tell them Douglas is capable! I can incite you know!"  

"That is the same Dr. Denzil Douglas," Mr. Brantley told his radio listeners Wednesday.

He repeated that the Prime Minister was now telling the people of Nevis to take it easy.

"That is the same man.  In the one breath he tells the people of Nevis who have two-two.  Two-two!  They're five seats, each side has two and one has been declared null and void, that we must take it easy, 'wait on the skipper,' Mr. Parry.  Be calm.  Tek it easy.  That's what his advice is to the people of Nevis!" Mr. Brantley said.

"In 1993 when he had four seats out of eleven, four out of eleven, that means he didn't have anything close to a majority, because four out of eleven leaves seven.  PAM had the same four.  The same Joseph Parry of the NRP joined with PAM.  And he in his own words said that he incited in '93."

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