BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, November 05, 2019 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – The Federal Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) continue to enjoy a close working relationship and a strong partnership that have and will continue to redound to the overall benefit of the people of the twin island Federation.
That was the position expressed by Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris and Premier of Nevis, the Honourable Mark Brantley on Monday, November 04, during the prime minister’s press conference.
“The matter of the relations between St. Kitts and Nevis has been raised time and time again, and there is only one answer and that is since the coming into being of Team Unity, the relationship between St. Kitts and Nevis, as a federal entity, and the Nevis Island Administration has been at its best ever. So has the former Premier Vance Amory said to us and so has the current Premier, the Honourable Mark Brantley said to us…,” Prime Minister Harris said.
Premier Brantley, who was in attendance at Monday’s press conference, agreed wholeheartedly with the view expressed by Prime Minister Harris. The premier stated, “I have been on record saying and I will continue to say that in the 36 years that we have been an independent nation, this has been the best relationship that St. Kitts and Nevis has had…and I am not going to resile from that particular position.”
The two leaders also commented on the excellent working and personal relationships that exist among members of Cabinet.
Prime Minister Harris said, “We have a Cabinet that practises robust democracy. There are no ‘yes men’ or ‘yes women’ in Cabinet and there is no ‘10-man in one’ in the Cabinet of Team Unity, and so we allow differences to be aired while maintaining the sovereignty of the Cabinet to make particular decisions.”
On this point, Premier Brantley also echoed similar sentiments, adding that, “I think the prime minister has put the position correctly and that where there are differences, and differences will arise even in the same household sometimes…, I think the strength of Team Unity [comes from its] maturity and its efforts to resolve those issues whenever they arise.”
Prime Minister Harris summed up the rumours and notions of possible strained relations between Premier Brantley and himself as “fake news and propaganda by those who have a hidden agenda…”
