Office of the Prime Minister
Thursday, December 28, 2017
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, DECEMBER 28th, 2017- St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, received boisterous applause at Sunday’s (December 24th) swearing-in ceremony for the new Cabinet of the Nevis Island Administration when he said the people of Nevis sent a clear message during their local elections on Monday, December 18th, 2017.
The Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) party secured a solid win of four out of five seats over the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), resulting in the Honourable Mark Brantley being sworn in as Premier of Nevis the next day.
The CCM, the People’s Action Movement (PAM) and the People’s Labour Party (PLP) comprise the highly popular Government of National Unity, which was sworn in 34 months ago after a resounding victory in the federal elections of Monday, February 16th, 2015. The candidates affiliated with Team Unity won seven out of the 11 federal seats.
Prime Minister Harris, the leader of the Team Unity administration, said during Sunday’s inauguration held at the Elquemedo T. Willett Park, “…you, the people of Nevis, when it mattered most, sent a clear message that, yes, performance matters, but people matter more.”
The Honourable Prime Minister congratulated Nevisians before saying that democracy requires the full involvement of the citizens. “Democracy requires that you stay attuned and focused,” Dr. Harris added.
The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis noted that, “…you hear a lot of voices and it becomes critically important to be able to discern what is the real truth out there, and the people of Nevis sent a clear message…and it was a beautiful message that ricochets in St. Kitts and ricochets all over the world, that… the Unity creation of the people is stronger than ever going forward.”
The loud applause of the exuberant crowd that packed the park in Charlestown reverberated as Prime Minister Harris said this then added, “…you have shown the world that a people well-informed can distinguish between noise and substance – and just as you have done, we will do in 2020, distinguish again noise from substance. Congratulations for choosing substance!”
The Honourable Prime Minister went on to express delight at being able to work again “with another Nevis Island Administration that will put the people of Nevis first.”
Prime Minister Harris continued, “It is a delight for us at the federal level to welcome the CCM back again and to welcome the Honourable Mark Brantley [former Deputy Premier of Nevis] in the elevated position that you, the people, have bestowed on him as the Honourable Premier of the island of Nevis.”
