Published 25 November 2022
Basseterre
Buckie Got It, St Kitts and Nevis News Source
JANICE DANIEL HODGE, THE FIRST FEMALE LEADER OF NEVIS REFORMATION PARTY (NRP) IS OVERFLOWING WITH CONFIDENCE about her party’s chances of upstaging Premier Mark Brantley’s Concerned Citizen’s Movement (CCM) at the December 12 polls.
In an exclusive interview with www.sknnewssource.com, Hodge said her confidence is rooted in “months of groundwork” among voters and anticipating that Premier Brantley will name polling day suddenly.
But Hodge expressed shock that Brantley called for the election in the height of the Christmas betraying a compact the two parties agreed to five years ago.
For her his ‘Judas’ decision demonstrates his customary disregard and disrespect for Nevisians.
“As Premier I am assuring that it (election) will not be held in the month of December people have been crying and he has not been listening to their concerns, knowing that the concerns of holding the election in the month of December. He had five years and yet has returned to hold it in December. Now he has returned to hold it then (December 12) really demonstrates his total disrespect for others but it’s here, and we have heard the concerns and issues that the people of Nevis have long been seeking to have addressed so we are prepared,” she declared.
She noted that at the 2017 elections, both parties had met with the Christian Council and the evangelical society which expressed concerns about scheduling polls in the festive season, a high point in the Christian calendar of events. The two religious bodies explained that elections activities divided the island politically.
CCM and NRP mutually agreed to “never hold” plan elections during the Christmas season to interrupt people’s preparation for the season with campaigns and political rallies.
“I am certain that when the people of Nevis have to go out on December 12… tired of the disrespect, and their values are not represented by the current leadership, they will say that its time for change and they will make their voices heard,” Hodge predicted.
She assured that once elected as the island’s next Premier, elections will not be held during the month of December, a time traditionally reserved to help bring families, friends and the community together.
The NRP, Hodge admitted, has lingering concerns about the integrity of the voters list. Some of their fears have been allayed with the appointment of a new Supervisor of Elections.
“I would not say that we are comfortable with the voters list as they are some irregularities…up to this point as far as I am aware. But we have a new election’s supervisor and we are confident… of his ability (to deliver) free and fair elections.”
“The time is short but there is some comfort with the new supervisor…that shenanigans on election day will not take place,” Hodge expects.
