BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Sunday 19th April 2020) – Fresh opposition leader Cleone Stapleton-Simmonds of the Nevis Reformation Part (NRP) feels disrespected by the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) administration on how it handled giving her notice of her swearing-in, arranged as part of the emergency sitting of parliament of the Nevis Island Assembly on Saturday 18th April 2020.

“Whether the extremely short notice (less than 24 hours) is deliberate or pure negligence, it is a clear reflection of CCM led administration’s lack of planning and organisation and ad hoc way of doing things,” she said in a statement via her official Facebook page shortly after 8:00AM, hours before the 11:00AM schedule event.

She continued: “The COVID 19 pandemic is no excuse for sloppy governance, lack of avid leadership and the continuous disrespect for the Nevis Island Assembly’s Opposition. I am reminded of what brought me into politics… Love for country before self, therefore regardless of the situation, I am equipped and ready to serve!”

Stapleton Simmonds, informed that she got a call the night before.

“My people I am in total awe… I received a phone call from the Clerk of the Nevis Island Assembly at about 8:24 p.m. last night, informing me that there will be an emergency sitting of the Nevis Island Assembly on Saturday 18th April, 2020 at 11 a.m, during which time I would be officially sworn in as the leader of the opposition. It is noteworthy that the sitting is unprecedentedly held on a Saturday during a state imposed 24 hour curfew.

“In observance of the COVID 19 pandemic, I did not openly complain about the fact that 6 weeks has elapsed since successfully contesting the Nevis 5 by-election which was held on March 5th 2020 and I was still not sworn in until now. I decided that it was a time for people, family, precaution and preparation so I placed politics aside in the interim,” she added.

Stapleton- Simmonds, who is a newcomer in the political arena and the first NRP elected female candidate, won the St. Thomas Nevis 5, taking over from former opposition leader and Joseph Parry who retired from active politics in December 2019.

After the ballots were counted, she garnered 514 votes, beating CCM’s Keith ‘Dis an Dat’ Scarborough who lost his chance for a fourth time now.

Robleto Hector is the current leader of the NRP.