by Eulana Weekes
St Kitts and Nevis (WINN): It is less than a month away from the constitutional deadline for the St. Kitts-Nevis National Assembly Elections. Following the dissolution of Parliament on May 10, 2022, the constitution allowed for 90 days in which the elections should be held, which is August 08, 2022.
The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Timothy Harris is yet to announce the dates for nomination and election day. As such, there have been ongoing debates about the Prime Minister’s morals and how the withholding of the election date is affecting the people of St. Kitts and Nevis and the functioning of the Government.
Director of Communications for the People’s Labour Party- Mr. Craig Tuckett speaking on behalf of Dr. Harris, says it is unfortunate that the Federation is having an election just two years after the 2020 elections; adding that the people who have contributed to the occurrence of this snap election should have thought about election fatigue before they made certain decisions. Tuckett suggests that the Prime Minister is acting in accordance with the Constitution and has time to announce the date for nominations and elections.
“If people are saying that there is election fatigue, they should have thought about this, before they would have plunged us again into another National Elections, after the people have given the Prime Minister a clear mandate for five years. Only two out of that five have been basically completed and the persons who betrayed the trust of the people are the reason why we are here today. So all I can say, on behalf of the Prime Minister, who I know can speak for himself very eloquently and intelligently and on behalf of the party of which he leads; the People’s Labour party, the party of choice, the party of inclusion and the fastest growing political party in St. Kitts and Nevis, I might say in the Caribbean, we are following the Constitution. We are followers of the rule of law and we would ensure that as unfortunate as it is, cause we never thought we would be here today, we would ensure that we have an election that is constitutionally due; whether it be on the 8th of August or before.”
For the first time in the history of St. Kitts and Nevis there are six political parties contesting the St. Kitts Nevis National Assembly Elections. Thirty-three candidates will be contesting the elections across 11 constituencies.
Three political parties in St. Kitts are contesting the elections; the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, the People’s Action Movement and the People’s Labour Party. On Nevis, three political parties will be contesting the elections; the Concerned Citizens Movement, the Nevis Reformation Party and the Moral Restoration Movement.
Confirmation has been given by representatives of the People’s Action Movement, The St Kitts Nevis Labour Party, the Nevis Reformation Party and the People’s Labour Party that they will be launching manifestos, most likely, soft copies once the election date is announced. Leader of the Moral Restoration Movement, Samuel Caines indicated to WINN FM that his party will not be launching a manifesto but instead will be running on the mantra, “Prime Minister at all cost.” WINN FM was unable to verify whether or not the Concerned Citizens Movement will be launching a manifesto, as several calls to representatives of the party were unanswered.
