Wednesday, 18th September 2024

Mark Brantley accuses PM Timothy Harris of dysfunctioning of the government

The twin-island federation of St Kitts and Nevis is facing political turmoil over the issues between Team Unity coalition parties.

Thursday, 21st April 2022

Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley.
Nevis: The twin-island federation of St Kitts and Nevis is facing political turmoil over the issues between Team Unity coalition parties. Premier of Nevis, Mark Brantley, took it over to VON Radio and lambasted Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris and the dysfunction of St Kitts and Nevis government.

Brantley said that he and PAM leader Shawn Richards worked hard to form Team Unity, and they want to save ‘Unity’.

Richards and Brantley took a particular approach, “Leader of Team Unity and Prime Minister (Timothy Harris) must have seen the dysfunctional nature of the cabinet and brought to him time to time that this is not the way we should be functioning. Yet he never asked for the three parties to come together, it is Shawn, and I on March 28 hand-delivered a letter to the Prime Minister asking for an urgent meeting with him because we have to do something to save Unity,” asserted Mark Brantley.

However, later the Prime Minister stated that he could not attend a follow-up meeting due to poor health. The discussions were then again delayed for nine days, and later there was tragic news of the death of Ambassador Vance Amory.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKgQa1XZym4[/embed]

After nine days, the tripartite leader met where Mark Brantley Brantley and Shawn Richards tabled their recommendations. Following that, Mark Brantley stated that another meeting was scheduled a week later, and it had no response from the Prime Minister, and he only proposed vague generalities.

Premier also reprimanded the PLP workers for using derogatory language against PAM and CCM leaders and said that the party must have control over their supporters. He said if the cabinet members are sitting and having a discussion, it is poor and condemnable that people from the coalition party are calling others incompetent etc.

Following the failure in meeting with PM Harris, PAM Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Shawn Richards and CCM Leader Mark Brantley wrote a six paged letter to PM outlining areas that require compromise. “I specifically say compromise because everybody gets something, but nobody gets everything; that’s why I understand compromise, and sometimes you have to compromise to solve the problem.”

Brantley said that he do not have any personal issues with Prime Minister Timothy Harris, “He (PM Harris) has always said that he is son of Nevisian father and Kittitian mother and so half of him is Nevis, so he must keep the promise of Charlestown Accord signed by Late Vance Amory, PM Timothy Harris and Deputy PM Shawn Richards, said Brantley. He added that he can work with anyone who is principled, “There is trust”.

However, the governor-general announced ten days of mourning for former Premier Vance Amory starting from April 20, 2022, as his body arrived in St Kitts via British Airways.

During the beginning of his radio show, Brantley remembered the life of Ambassador Amory and reflected upon his achievements. He also called that if the government wants to pay respect to Vance Amory, the government must abide by the Charlestown Accord, which was signed on December 17, 2014, by all founding members of Team Unity, including Ambassador Amory himself.