PM Douglas explains necessity for emergency parliamentary sitting ; Brantley says Federal Government was not approached by the NIA

September 23, 2014 in National

PMDouglas-BrantleyAt a town hall meeting held in Sandy Point on Wednesday evening, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis the Rt Hon Dr Denzil Douglas explained to the nation that the motivation for calling an emergency parliamentary sitting earlier that day had been the civil servants in Nevis. Pm Douglas explained that he had been contacted by the Chairman of the National Bank of St Kitts Nevis and Anguilla in regard to the Nevis Island Administration seeking to extend its over draft facility by one million dollars. The bank having concerns that the overdraft facility was at that time already over extended required guarantee from the federal government. Pm Douglas said that the cabinet came to the decision that civil servants in Nevis had to be paid hence an emergency parliamentary sitting was schedule to pass a resolution that allowed the Federal Government to guarantee the extension as is required by the Financial Act.

The Prime Minister said that on the morning of the emergency sitting he had been made aware that the NIA no longer required the extension. He revealed that it was only after speaking to the Premier of Nevis, the Hon Vance Amory, that he was informed that the NIA was able to acquired the money through revenue collection.

The Deputy Premier of Nevis, Hon Mark Brantley however, has taken the Prime Minister to task for scheduling the emergency sitting of parliament. He explained that the NIA had never approached the Prime Minister for any guarantee.

Brantley further explained that NIA had no discussion with federal government. He indicated that the NIA has been fighting with a debt that was inherited from a previous administration.