Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 1, 2018 – National Political Leader of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party enjoys overwhelming and Team Unity’s concentration on the leadership of the SKNLP is a distraction being orchestrated by the Team Unity Government.
Member of Parliamentarian for St. Christopher 3 (West Basseterre), Hon. Konris Maynard told Wednesday’s SKNLP Press Conference that the leadership of National Political Leader, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas is critical to the success and stability of the 86-year-old political organisation.
He pointed out that the SKNLP has a very strong tradition of democracy, unlike any other political party in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“Each year, the delegates of the Party assembled at our Annual Party Conference vote to elect the officers of the Party including the Party leader. Since 1989, The Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas has been elected as Party Leader and most definitely, God’s willing, will be re-elected in May of this year,” said Maynard.
He said Dr. Douglas’ leadership of the SKNLP “has been and will continue to be critical to our success and stability.”
“Our most recent poll suggests that Dr. Douglas is the most desired leader in St. Kitts and Nevis across all parties. This is of course after the country has had a chance to effectively compare the two leaders that are on offer to our country,” said Maynard.
He was of the firm view that with his continued mandate from the delegates of the Labour Party, “Comrade Dr. Douglas is leading the transformation of our Party as we select new candidates that will help secure victory for the SKNLP.”
“He has assured his commitment to offering his experience and knowledge to the people of my generation so that when eventually we are called upon to lead, we would be able to do so,” said Maynard, a first term legislator.
“On the issue of leadership, let me say that I support fully the legitimately-elected leader of our party, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas,” said SKNLP caretaker for St. Christopher, Dr. Terrance Drew.
He noted that the 86-year-old SKNLP is the oldest political party in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“This party brought democracy to our land. It brought the concept of one man one vote. There is no question about the legitimacy of our leader,” said the Dr. Drew.
Deputy Political Leader of the SKNLP, Dr. Earl Asim Martin said the 86-year-old party “stands solidly behind our indomitable leader, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, our Candidate Selection Committee, and our Party’s Executive, as we strengthen and rebrand our organisation, groom fresh leaders at the constituency level, and ready ourselves to serve with all our might, again.”
Chairman of the SKNLP and Member of Parliament for St. Christopher 2 (Central Basseterre), Hon. Marcella Liburd in her support of Dr. Douglas’ leadership, the organisation and country are fortunate to have a leader who is compassionate caring and competent.
She touted his passion to allow persons at Party meetings who are either on the Executive or from the floor or in the Cabinet to have their say even if he does not share the same position.
The SKNLP remains the largest single party in St. Kitts and Nevis, gaining 11,897 votes to the Hon. Shawn Richards’ Peoples Action Movement (PAM), 8,452 votes; Hon. Vance Amory’s Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) 3,951 votes; Hon. Joseph Parry’s (Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), 3,276 votes and Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris’ People’s Labour Party (PLP), 2,723 votes.
Seatwise in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly, the PAM holds 4 seats, the SKNLP, 3 seats, the CCM, two seats; the NRP and the PLP, 1 seat each.
Harris’ three-party coalition is made up of the PLP, CCM and PAM.
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