Charlestown, Nevis- (Monday, September 1, 2014) – St. Kitts – Nevis Minister of Homeland Security, the Hon. Patrice Nisbett said that the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) St. James’ parish representative, the Hon. Alexis Jeffers, must report to the people of Nevis about his role in the widely-talked-about ten acres affair.
In front of an attentive audience at the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) town hall meeting at the Franklin Browne Community Center on Tuesday night, the Hon. Nisbett stated that the ten acres matter includes senior government officials who by their own admission sold crown lands to Iraqi nationals, and had the Iraqi send payment for the land to a senior minister’s private business account.
“When the story first broke, deputy premier, the Hon. Mark Brantley stated that he knows of the matter, and he approves of the matter, and stated further that the matter was placed in the ‘capable hands’ of the Minister of Lands, the Hon. Alexis Jeffers.”
According to Nisbett, the Hon. Jeffers have many questions to answer in this “very dubious transaction.”
According to accounts by the deputy premier in Nevis, the Hon. Mark Brantley, Hon. Alexis Jeffers is heavily involved in this transaction. Based on Brantley’s statement, one can believe that Jeffers is aware and well abreast of the Octagon Consulting Services fiasco, where allegedly the premier of Nevis, Hon. Vance Amory’s private business bank account of Octagon Consulting Services was sent US$1.5 million by an Iraqi national for the sale of ten acres of crown land at Potworks in St. James parish.
Since the story broke, the members of the public and the Nevis Reformation Party have been asking a number of very poignant questions in relation to this transaction.
“Every person who knows about this transaction, and are involved in this suspicious act must come to the people and lay the affairs to the people of Nevis, but more so to the people of St. James where the land has been sold,” commented Hon. Nisbett.
He also noted that the CCM have spoken several times about transparency and honesty. He contended that, “they need to talk real to the people at this time.”
Hon. Nisbett told the audience: “I want to ask Hon. Alexis Jeffers a serious question… do you know who are the players of Naples General Trading Company, because when you are dealing with a corporate company you cannot do things on your own.”
He also asked, “Do you know Iraqi national Arawai? Is his money good money or bad money? The people need to know as crown land is being sold.”
Nisbett reiterated that Alexis Jeffers must know and tell the people who are the share holders of Naples General Trading because the people must know who is purchasing Nevis land.
“What due diligence was done because I am puzzled as to why Nevis was doing a transaction with this company? The National Bank who is a reputable institution in this country decided to return the money to the sender. But our own Nevis Island Administration whom we entrusted with the affairs of Nevis claimed that all is well with this transaction,” commented Nisbett.
The Homeland Security Minister concluded, “We have to ask ourselves was this transaction for the betterment of the people of Nevis, or was it for the minister’s own private benefit? It is clear that Hon. Alexis Jeffers is not trustworthy, and should not represent the people of St. James parish!”, Nisbett said.