Charlestown, Nevis (Wednesday, December 10, 2014)-Former Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Joseph Parry, spoke to nationals and friends of Nevis in New York on the many achievements of his Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) during their tenure in the Nevis Island Administration. The very successful town hall meeting took place at the Cholo meeting place in the Bronx on Saturday, December 6th.
Leader of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Hon. Parry was accompanied at the head table by Federal Candidate for St. Paul’s/St. John’s, Hon. Robelto Hector, Senator in the Nevis Island Assembly, Hon. Carlisle Powell, and Former Deputy Premier, Mr. Hensley Daniel.
Parry highlighted the approach that his NRP-led Administration took when his party was in government before January 2013. He talked about the “stimulus package” which was created to bring growth to the economy as NRP faced a recession and the closure of Four Seasons Resort shortly after attaining government.
“As part of the stimulus package, the NRP-led Administration moved the economy with building over 340 affordable houses, refurbishing the island’s infrastructure and borrowing money which is what is done worldwide during recessions. Unlike the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) the NRP had an economic plan from the start,” commented Hon. Parry.
He noted that during the economic downturn, the NRP-led government did not victimize workers by sending anyone home, and in fact he said when the Four Seasons resort closed temporarily, the government took on a number of workers into the civil service.
“Unlike the CCM, who sent home close to 300 government workers during their first two years in government, the NRP believes that when residents on Nevis are in employment it is better for the country economically. No matter where their political support is, sending home persons has a negative effect on the economy because people would not be able to spend and economic activity would fail,” Parry said.
Parry told the packed room that under the NRP, the residents of Nevis saw the Hon. Robelto Hector empower residents with affordable land prices for first time buyers, over 300 affordable houses built and a tremendous boost in Agriculture. He added how Hon. Carlisle Powell in his capacity as Minister of Public Works and Natural Resources refurbished the island’s roads and made travel on the Island Main Road easier, increased the island’s water supply and brought wind energy to Nevis.
Parry went on to say that the former Minister of Health and Social affairs, Mr. Hensley Daniel, developed many social programs on parenting and work programs to curb crime on the island. Mr. Daniel also invested in a urology center and a dialysis unit for the better health care of the island’s residents.
“People on Nevis are now losing confidence in the economy on Nevis under the present CCM led Administration. The Premier, Hon. Vance Amory does not know what he is doing and Deputy Premier, Mark Brantley has no knowledge of how government works. The CCM wants to be in the Federal Parliament but they have proven over these two years that they are incompetent and if they can’t do work locally what can they achieve federally,” asked Parry?