Team Unity government failed in delivering promises to CCM, says Shawn Richards

Basseettere, St Kitts and Nevis: Deputy Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis Shawn Richards on Wednesday evening gave an exclusive address. He talked about the absence of equitable share of the citizenship by investment revenue flows to the sister island of Nevis and supported Premier Mark Brantley. He said the Team Unity government has failed in delivering its promises to the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) and to the people of the beloved sister island of Nevis. Deputy Prime Minister also talked about the Charlestown Accord signed between the People's Labour Party, the People's Action Movement and Concerned Citizens Movement on December 17, 2014. He said the accord made it clear that CBI proceeds must be shared between St Kitts and Nevis on a population basis. [caption id="attachment_41337" align="alignnone" width="1582"]

Charles Town Accord[/caption] He said that his party, the People's Action Movement (PAM), supports the calls of Nevis Premier Mark Brantley regarding the call for an equitable share of CBI revenue for Nevis. Richards said the issue must be urgently and immediately addressed. [caption id="attachment_41338" align="alignnone" width="960"]

Leaders during the signing of Charlestown accord on 17 December 2014.[/caption]

"Paragraph 1 to 3 of the Historic Charlestown Accord signed by me as the leader of PAM and by the leaders of PLP and CCM on the courthouse steps in Charlestown before a massive crowd as part of a foundational charter of team unity on December 17, 2014, make it clear that CBI proceeds would be shared with St Kitts and Nevis on a population basis," said the Deputy Prime Minister and leader of PAM.

Richards emphasized that Nevis has long been excluded from the benefits of SIDF (St Kitts and Nevis Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation).

"The matter is really about the commitment by the team unity, and they need to keep our promise to the people of Nevis. PAM is satisfied that the Charles Town Accord sets out the agreement as to how a team unity government should deal with the sharing of proceeds of CBI between our two islands and among our people," Richards added.

Shawn Richards also acknowledged the efforts of Premier Mark Brantley to engage in a dialogue to solve the issue from the past four years. PAM leader said that he is aware that sums paid to NIA from the CBI Proceeds were initially 30 million per year and now currently 45 million per year. "I am also aware that the Honourable Prime Minister has written to the Premier on March 12 2022, offering a further increase to the NIA again without any cabinet involvement," he added. He stated that there had been no genuine effort to resolve this over the years and said there had been thus far no public statement by the prime minister as to the actual revenue from CBI over the relevant period. "We all know that any conversation regarding equitable share must start with a statement as to the amount and overall revenue,". Furthermore, he added that Skills Training Empowerment Program (STEP) and the People Employment Program (PEP) are run in Nevis from Basseterre, and Premier or Nevis Island Administration (NIA) are completely excluded from their management on the island of Nevis.

"Give Nevis its money so that Nevis implements and run its own programmes,".

He stated St Kitts and Nevis could only move forward if all people are given their fair share of the benefits of national development.

Team Unity government failed in delivering promises to CCM, says Shawn Richards

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