“No time now for politicking”

This remains the mantra of Nevis Premier Mark Brantley as he centers his attention on the all-important fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic against the backdrop of a looming general election.

With a focus on the safety and well-being of the Nevisian people, the Premier has ensured that Nevis’ main health facility, the Alexandra Hospital, is equipped to treat persons afflicted with the novel coronavirus. So far Nevis has been able to secure much needed new ventilators, with additional machines as well as two new ambulances expected to arrive on the island soon.

As part of the COVID-19 preparedness and response efforts, 16 beds have been made available at the Nevis hospital and an offsite isolation centre with 8 beds stands ready.

Mindful of the financial and emotional impact of lay-offs and reduced employment due to Covid-19, Premier Brantley and his Cabinet have reached out to private sector stakeholders including the Chamber of Commerce, Hoteliers, and the Christian Council and Evangelical Association in order to help mitigate the economic and psychological fallout for Nevisians.

Additionally, Premier Brantley has written to every bank and financial institution operating on Nevis and has had good responses offering relief to customers. The NIA continues to urge customers to speak to their bank to determine the level of relief they can access.

Demonstrating good leadership, the Premier has also forgone his entire salary and benefits as Premier until further notice while his Cabinet of Ministers has taken a 10% pay cut for the next 3 months. Premier Brantley and his colleagues have also dug into their pockets and put together a Food Relief Fund of $13,500 per month for the next 3 months to ensure that no family in Nevis goes hungry during this period of difficulty. “We are all in this together and only together we shall overcome” the Premier said.

“I will continue to do all that is within my power to help our beloved Nevis navigate through these difficult and uncertain times,” Premier Brantley assures, while encouraging Nevisians to comply with the emergency regulations intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within our community.