Nevis: Premier Mark Brantley outlines use of CBI revenue of $400 million

Nevis: Premier of Nevis and the leader of Concerned Citizens Movement Mark Brantley outlines what has Nevis done with $400 million?

Read Here: Full statement of Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley 

We now know that since 2008 the Citizenship by Investment programme has brought roughly $5.3 BILLION to Basseterre and from that the island of Nevis has received just under $400 million. Had the people of Nevis received their fair share they would have received some $1.35 BILLION.

I became Premier of Nevis in December in 2017 and ever since then I have been agitating for Nevis to receive what was committed to. Timothy Harris became PM in 2015 on the back of the Charlestown Accord that he has refused to honour notwithstanding that he signed it.

It has been a matter of some amusement to me that throughout this public debate about Fair Share, Dr Harris has repeatedly said how much money Nevis has received from CBI. He has NEVER once said how much money St Kitts kept for itself. And so the rhetoric uttered over and over by him and now taken up by his recently purchased partners in the NRP is that Nevis received $400 million.

St Kitts has kept 93% of CBI monies for itself while Nevis has received a paltry 7%. However, little Nevis is constantly being asked to account for its share by those who refuse to join the fight for what belongs to Nevis. St Kitts has not been asked to account for its 93% and the NRP has said on their platform that they do not wish to know about that.

My government is transparent and open so let us start from the fact that the under $400 million was received not at one time but over the course of 7 years. That means that Nevis received roughly $57 million per year.

So let us look at a small sample of projects and expenditure overall in Nevis:

1. Salaries and pensions for public servants in Nevis average $8.5 million per month or $102 million per year. During COVID we applied all of CBI receipts to salaries and pensions but still had to find another $45 million to do so. Put differently, the paltry 7% could not even cover our civil servants and pensioners.
2. In 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 double salaries were paid to public servants and workers at statutory corporations. Those amounts totalling roughly $61,200,000 were paid from the same $400 million.
3. We expanded our road network with major projects at Hanley’s Road, Braziers, Brown Hill , Butlers, Shaws Road, Farms, Island Main Road to name a few.
4. We built the IAAF certified Mondo track which has helped our athletes develop into champions in the Federation and we also refurbished the drag race track.
5. We built the new landmark Treasury Building in Charlestown.
6. We built the water taxi pier at Oualie which has revolutionized travel between St Kitts and Nevis.
7. We are engaged in the ongoing expansion at the Alexandra Hospital, an expansion 2.5 times the size of the existing hospital.
8. We purchased new ambulances, ventilators, generators and other critical equipment for our health sector
9. We deployed CCTV islandwide and constructed a state of the art CCTV Command Center.
10. We built a brand new police and fire station at NewCastle.
11. We provided the cultural venue, David Freeman Center of Excellence, at Market Shop where we hosted Culturama last year.
12. We purchased several generating sets at Nevlec to ensure that we all now enjoy better electricity.
13. We provided emergency medical assistance totaling $3.56 million to our people since 2015
14. We established a $5 million fund to provide seed money to assist youth and women
15. We purchased various vehicles for the police and army in Nevis and provided food and accommodation to the army regiment stationed in Nevis.
16. During the Covid pandemic we offered relief on water and electricity. We offered stimulus to our businesses and farmers. We increased our social safety nets to ensure that those who couldn’t afford could eat. We upgraded and outfitted our schools to make them Covid proof. We serviced our debt. We provided support to our statutory corporations.
17. We expanded our affordable housing programme and for the first time in history we have housing projects at Maddens, Hamilton, Craddock Road, Garners, Prospect and Rices happening at the same time.
18. We offered concessions on construction materials leading to a boom in the local home and commercial construction sector.
19. We provided financial assistance to Nevisian students studying abroad and online.
20. We built the Malcolm Guishard Recreational Park in partnership within Taiwan.
21. We built the TVET center in Gingerland
22. We built a kitchen at the Joycelyn Liburd Primary School
23. We rebuilt the Tender Pier in Charlestown
24. We secured equipment for the Long Point Port.
25. We resurfaced the runway at the Vance Amory airport and upgraded the equipment at the Tower.
26. We funded the exploratory phase of the geothermal project with the drilling of test wells at Hamilton
27. We built the Artisan Village, improved VOJN playing field including adding stands. We expanded the abbatoir and the Vet clinic.
28. We built a brand new Cultural Village which can accommodate up to 4,000 patrons and also improved the Cultural Complex
29. We improved roads, sidewalks and drainage all across Charlestown.
30. We undertook the most ambitious water enhancement project in the history of Nevis incorporating new water mains, new storage tanks and a treatment plant at Hamilton.
31. We undertook roof and home repairs after Hurricanes of 2017 to those affected and uninsured.
32. We initiated free water and electricity for our elderly.
33. We improved nearly all sporting facilities in Nevis including basketball courts, cricket fields and the Netball complex in Charlestown.
34. We invested heavily in new equipment for Public Works including a new paver and milling machine to facilitate our road works.
35. We have purchased 2 brand new garbage trucks and various heavy equipment for the Solid Waste Management Authority which should be on island shortly.
36. We fixed sewage problems for over 58% of the homes in Cherry Gardens.

My list of 36 tems is NOT exhaustive but a mere snapshot of some of the development that has happened on Nevis in the past few years. You will agree with me that less than $400 million from CBI could not even cover salaries and wages which in 7 years plus double salaries amounted to over $775 MILLION. 

That is why this election for Nevis is about fairness and allowing ALL in our country, Kittitians AND Nevisians, to benefit from the full fruits of their citizenship. We must get our Fair Share and that is non negotiable!!