BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 29th May 2020)– Following official Nominations held on Wednesday 27th May 2020, a total of nine (9) newcomers to the political race arena are among the twenty-three (23) General Elections runners this time around including independent.
There are four (4) from the opposition St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), two (2) from the People’s Labour Party (PLP) headed by Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris, two (2) from the opposition Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) and also an independent.
This media house understands that another independent candidate was expected in the person of Joan Challenger-Baeta of Constituency Two (Central Basseterre) but there was no information up to press time on what her situation is.
Friday 29th May 2020) officially marks one week before the June 5thJune 2020 general elections in St.Kitts-Nevis with the Team Unity construct-featuring PLP, PAM (People’s Action Movement) and also CCM (Concerned Citizens Movement ) in Nevis- seeking a second term while the St.Kitts-Nevis Labour attempts to regain office after being oust after its fourth term.
The NRP and the SKNLP has close relations in federal elections.
Political parties have conducted their virtual campaign launches in light of measures concerning the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) under the state of emergency that has seen: NRP on Friday 22nd May with ‘NRP Visionary Ready To Transform Nevis’, SKNLP NextGenSKN ‘It’s All About You!’ on Saturday 23rd May and Team Unity on Sunday 24th May under the banner ‘Stronger Safer Future’.
The breakdown of the candidates in the constituencies of St.Kitts and Nevis are as follows:
Constituency One: SKNLP newcomer Dr. Geoffrey Hanley will be challenging PAM Ian ‘Patches’ Liburd who will be contesting the seat for the second time.
Constituency Two: SKNLP Marcella Liburd to be challenged by PAM Chairman Jonel Powell who is also contesting for a second time.
Constituency three: PLP newcomer Alkilah Byron- Nisbett to challenge SKNLP Konris Maynard on his second go.
Constituency Four: PAM Deputy Leader Lindsay Grant to be challenged by SKNLP Steve Wrensford and independent first time runner Jason Thomas known as ‘Grabament’.
Constituency Five: [Deputy Prime Minister] PAM leader Shawn Richards versus SKNLP newcomer Kenneth ‘Kenny’ Douglas.
Constituency Six: SKNLP leader Denzil Douglas and PLP newcomer Kevin ‘Ninky Williams’. Notably, this is the first time that PAM is not challenging this SKNLP seat.
Constituency Seven: [Prime Minister] PLP leader Dr. Timothy Harris to go up against SKNLP newcomer Leon Nata -Nelson.
Constituency Eight: SKNLP Chairman and second time runner Dr. Terrance Drew challenging PAM Eugene Hamilton.
Constituency Nine: [Nevis Premier] CCM Leader Mark Brantley versus NRP newcomer Dr. Kelvin Daley.
Constituency Ten: Eric Evelyn of the CCM going up against NRP newcomer Bjorn Hanley.
Constituency Eleven: [Deputy Premier]CCM Alexis Jeffers versus NRP Patrice Nisbett.
Although CCM’s Evelyn is not a newcomer to the political arena, he is new to the federal race.