By: Gavincia Clarke
Nevispages.com
(CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS)- The nominated senator for the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) and member of the Nevis Island Assembly, Hon. Carlisle Powell has leveled accusations against Deputy Premier of Nevis, Hon. Mark Brantley for denigrating the achievements of his son, Kieran O.A. Powell, an international cricketer.
This accusation was made in the House of Assembly on Monday, April 29, 2013 when Hon. Carlisle Powell made his presentation on the 2013 Budget.
At the time Hon. Powell was addressing paragraph 65 in the CCM budget that dealt with Sports Tourism and which reads: – “We (NIA) intend to work closely with the Nevis Tourism Authority to plan, market and implement sports and recreational activities of international standards that will generate considerable attention internationally”.
Hon. Powell challenged this statement when he questioned how the CCM Government planned to promote the local sports persons who have excelled internationally. He indicated that since assuming office on January 22, 2013, the CCM led NIA has fired Derrick Parry, a local cricketer who has played cricket at the international level.
Hon. Powell also pointed out that the CCM Administration had also failed to celebrate Elquemedo Willett for the 100th Anniversary of Leeward Islands cricket; and refused to celebrate Willett’s 40th Anniversary of becoming the first Leeward Islands cricketer who made it to the West Indies cricket team.
The nominated member further stated, ‘The way we treat our sports people will have a serious impact on how we market our island’.
Hon. Powell then told the House a story involving his son, international cricketer, Kieran Powell. Mr. Powell indicated that even at the age of 23, Kieran has a love for his island that runs deep. He stated that it is this love of his island that caused him to invite his manager, Miss Emma Everett, who also manages West Indies cricket captain, Darren Sammy and Dwayne Bravo, to Nevis to see what she could do to help promote this lovely island of Nevis.
Miss Emma Everett, a Sri Lankan lawyer, but who practices in the United Kingdom sat down with the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Mark Brantley some days ago in an effort to ascertain ways for Kieran to promote the island of Nevis.
According to Hon. Powell he was informed that when Ms. Everett started to talk about Kieran and what he could do for Nevis, she was stunned when the Minister said words to the effect, so what? Kieran scored two centuries against Bangladesh but even I could have scored two centuries against Bangladesh.
Mr. Powell stated that he was not aware that Hon. Mark Brantley has ever played even 2nd division cricket but he yet he announced that even he could have scored two (2) centuries in the same test match versus Bangladesh. Hon. Powell said that he found Brantley’s statement offensive and out of order.
According to Powell, the Minister’s job is to promote things in Nevis and not ‘pull’ down the people of Nevis.
Hon. Powell advised the Minister Brantley to ‘stop his nonsense and concentrate on helping Kieran and others like him to develop their skills’.
Kieran Powell recently joined an elite group of West Indian Cricketers.
In the 85 years of Test cricket by the West Indies team from 1928 until now, only 9 West Indians cricketers have scored two (2) centuries in the same test match and Kieran is one of them.
Hon. Powell recommended that the NIA obtain good net facilities with proper bowling machines and attract school teams and clubs from England and elsewhere to Nevis to help develop cricket on the island.