By: Precious Mills
BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday, 15th December, 2017) – It will be a battle of blue versus green, the bottle versus the hammer when citizens and residents on the sister isle of Nevis take to the polls on Monday 18th December to put their ‘X’ in deciding whether the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) would be reelected or overthrown by the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) after the ballots are counted for the Nevis Island Assembly Elections.
NRP’s symbol is the bottle and CCM is the hammer with the affiliated colours of green and blue, respectively.
CCM is led by Mark Brantley while Joseph Parry heads NRP.
In speaking with this reporter yesterday (Thursday), when asked what the feeling is like leading up to elections day, Brantley the new CCM leader remarked: “We are feeling very confident.”
“Come Monday, we feel that we are not only going to win but win overwhelmingly and form the new government of Nevis,” he added after talking about the “positive vibrations” being experienced.
Brantley also shared that his party has “saturated the grounds” on the campaign trail and that the CCM teams “feels very motivated.”
According to the CCM Leader, his party “has the better message” which is about “hope” and while NRP is about “hate and bigotry.”
In District 2 St. Johns, Brantley will go up against Hensley Daniel of NRP.
Brantley has succeeded his senior colleague Vance Amory as CCM head member. The announcement in the change of top leadership was made at the party’s convention held in October this year after Amory reportedly stepped down after serving for 30 years.
Amory’s replacement at his constituency level in District 3 Gingerland is Eric Evelyn (CCM) who will contest that seat going up against NRP’s Cory Tyson.
As to the NRP’s state of mind leading up to Election Day, Parry told this media house in an interview yesterday: “We are very, very strong on the ground. We feel that we are going to dominate.”
He talked about the launch of the party’s manifesto which was launched last night durign a public meeing held at the Mango Tree Bar located on Craddock Road.
Parry gave an insight into the content of his party’s proposal document which includes cruise and land tourism, medical services, job creation, decriminalisation of marijuana as well as private enterprises with packages catering for both males and females.
According to him, “women must be treated equally.”
Referring to the “masterpiece” feature of the manifesto, Parry talked about the development of geothermal energy in Nevis which his party “started” and has “done so much” in regard to its progress.
“We believe that we will be back in government next week and lead the development of geothermal energy,” he said further.
Parry pointed out that in order for the geothermal project to be successful, there has to be partnership with St.Kitts.
He noted that such a project “would not be profitable” unless both economies are joined.
In light of the fatal shooting which took place yesterday, he used the opportunity to share that upon forming the new government, his administration “will be dealing with crime immediately.”
At last night’s public meeting Parry the candidate for District 5 St. Thomas along with his fellow candidates Virgil Browne of District 4 St. James and Cory Tyson of St. George (Gingerland) made a pact to bring an end to gang warfare which is said to be affecting those three areas.
In speaking with this reporter yesterday, Parry described those three areas as the “hotspots” on the island and pledged that his administration will address the issue of crime and violence in those particular districts.
Parry’s political opponent is Keith Scarborough.
In Nevis 1 Charlestown, the candidates are Spencer Brand (CCM) and E. Robelto Hector (NRP) while in District 4 St. James, Alexis Jeffers is the CCM.
Nomination Day for candidates was held on Monday 11th December.
At a public meeting held on Thursday 30th November, Amory made the announcement for the date set for elections day, dissolving the House.
Following the last local election held in 2013 and the then CCM opposition led by Amory won taking three of the five seats while NRP led by Parry captured two seats.