Premier Brantley accuses PM Harris of turmoils in Team Unity coalition

He said that PM Harris always used Team Unity as a ladder to reach and remain on the chair of the Prime Minister. PM Harris never remained committed to the principles of Team Unity and preyed on the basic foundation of Unity. 

Premier Brantley accuses PM Harris of turmoils in Team Unity coalition
Premier Brantley accuses PM Harris of turmoils in Team Unity coalition

Nevis: Every morning brings new turns in the politics of the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis. The issues in the Team Unity coalition party have created huge political turmoil in the country, which is showing no signs of subsiding. 

On Wednesday night (April 20, 2022), Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley came out with some of the concerns and outlined his stands on the survival of Team Unity. Through the VON Radio, he hosted an “ON THE MARK” show, where Brantley condemned Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris for the dysfunctioning of the government of St Kitts and Nevis. 

While accusing Prime Minister Harris, Premier Brantley said that he has never made any efforts to save Team Unity. 

He said that PM Harris always used Team Unity as a ladder to reach and remain on the chair of the Prime Minister. PM Harris never remained committed to the principles of Team Unity and preyed on the basic foundation of Unity. 

“We can’t use unity as a springboard to get the office of the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis,” noted Brantley. 

Quoting Prime Minister Harris’ statement on the involvement of the World Bank in the fair distribution of the CBI funds between St Kitts and Nevis, Premier Brantley stated there is no point in it as the Charlestown accord had formed only for it.

Condemning the members of the People’s Labour Party, he said that PLP members used to target the members of the Concerned Citizen’s Movement and usually posted offensive posts on social media against them. He reprimanded them and stated that when there is sitting in the cabinet, that is poor and offensive when they target others unnecessarily and call them incompetent. 

Mark Brantley also stressed that he had been accused of not making any efforts to save Team Unity. But he pointed out that he and Deputy Prime Minister Shawn K Richards made every possible effort to survive the Tripartite. 

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. 

The meeting has further postponed for nine days due to the tragic death of the Former Premier of Nevis Vance Amory. 

After nine days, the tripartite met where he and Shawn Richards tabled their concerns and recommendations, but it failed massively. 

He emphasized continuing their efforts in saving Team Unity; they have also documented a six-pages letter and sent it to PM Harris. But, Shawn and he never received any response as PM Harris has never taken us seriously. 

“We asked for a meeting, but it didn’t happen; I took nine days to have that meeting, but it again dismissed; we then gave another eight days for Prime Minister to respond to put very legitimate concerns, but he came with no response, and We further sent a six-page letter.”

He further outlined the ways necessary to save Team Unity and stated that there is a huge need for compromise. He quoted, “Everyone gets something, but nobody gets everything, and this is ‘compromise’ for me.”

Brantley said that there is a great lack of spirit of compromise in Prime Minister Harris. 

Meanwhile, Condemning PM Harris’ quote that the prerogative of the Prime Minister should not be diminished, he said that Dr Harris reached PM Harris due to the formation of Team Unity. He stressed that the foundation that he stands on, Team Unity which has certain core principles, cannot be diminished. 

He also asserted that PM Harris did not respond to the deadline that was given by PAM and CCM to PLP. 

Brantley further cleared that he can work with only that principled person, and Team Unity should also work on the principles. 

“I say no to power and always fought over principles”, said Brantley.Â