Days before the Nevisian electorate goes to the polls, Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley is confident that his Party, the Concerned Citizens’ Movement (CCM) will win all five seats in the Assembly, and be returned to the helm of the NIA.
Speaking exclusively with The Observer on Nomination Day, Mr. Brantley was confident of improving on their 4-1 majority.
“The mood is excellent. We hold four seats already; we intend to win all five. I think the response from the electorate is as we have done our canvassing, and as we go around and have our conversations there are really no issues this election. I think we are running on a clear and obvious record of achievements.”
The CCM Leader said that their main opponents have not resonated with the public at large.
“The other side is running on promises, and frankly, promises that have been articulated in a way people can’t understand and make sense of what they are saying. The notion that you can win an election by simply cussing the government I think is no more. People want ideas, they want a debate, and they want an understanding of what could be done for the country.
“The people know in CCM they have a party they can trust and we are getting that response from our public. We think we will win, and intend to take all five seats.”
Making a comparison with the federal election and the upcoming election where they won all three seats, Brantley is predicting a stronger CCM showing.
“I think our showing will be stronger, because in the federal election our people are not inclined to vote, so some of our CCM supporters did not vote. And so our people are fully mobilised now, and we anticipate our victory to be even larger.”
Going forward, Brantley said, the people of Nevis could expect more “sensible management” of the island if his party is returned.
“They have seen how we functioned during COVID; how we managed the affairs, how we kept Nevis afloat despite the difficulties and challenges, and we have some big plans. We have the airport project, a major port project, some major initiatives in education, significant initiatives in renewable energy – specifically geothermal – so we expect to see an expansion in jobs locally, and in me, the people of Nevis know they have a leader they can trust.”
He added that they would also seek to continue relations with the federal government to find a solution that is fair for all.
“The partnership with the federal government is an ongoing one. We would like the best relationship we could possibly have. Prime Minister (Dr Terrance) Drew and I have been engaging with each other, and are optimistic we can forge a relationship for the betterment of all the people of the fed
