Dwyer Astaphan, a former government minister, says come next general election Nevis Premier Mark Brantley could not only play the role of ‘King Maker’, but himself become the ‘King’, as in Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Astaphan, while a guest of Freedom FM’s Issues talk show on Friday said:
“Brantley could be King, and why not. He has played the role of King maker. He brings two seats to the table currently, the Prime Minister brings one. If Brantley brings two next time or three, to which he is aspiring, it could make him not only a bigger King Maker, it could make him the King.
“…were I involved in politics right now I would talk to everybody. If I were CCM or NRP I would speak to all of the parties in St. Kitts and if I were in any party in St. Kitts [I would speak to all of the parties in Nevis] and I would speak to each other because as extreme as this may sound, it is possible that the CCM and the NRP can be on different sides of the aisle in the Nevis Island Assembly but sitting in the same Cabinet at the federal level. It is possible, so you don’t rule out anything- anybody can join up with anybody else.
“We don’t have a binary choice here- it’s not Dr. Harris or Dr. Douglas, it could be somebody else, and I think these options ought to be left open and let the political parties work out pragmatic arrangements that are based on sound principles of governance, and maybe this would help to resolve some of this bickering and and tribalism etc. that has been eating s alive for so long.”
Astaphan added that being from Nevis does not exclude the Premier from the running for Prime Minister. He explained that his comments are not an indication one way or the other that he supports the move for Brantley as Prime Minister.