Published 2 April 2022
Basseterre
Buckie Got It, St.Kitts and Nevis News Source
Former Premier of Nevis and St Kitts-Nevis ambassador Amory dies
By Avis Johnson
NEVIS, April 2, 2022 – Former premier of Nevis, Vance Amory has died at the age of 72.
Vance Winkworth Amory, born 22 May 1949, was a St Kitts and Nevis politician and former cricketer. He served two terms as Premier of Nevis, from 1992 to 2006 and from 2013 to 2017. He served as the Minister of Sports in the Nevis Island Administration. He founded and led the Concerned Citizens’ Movement. The airport in Nevis, Vance W. Amory International Airport, bears his name.
Amory was born on 22 May 1949 in Rawlins Village. He received his elementary, primary and secondary school education in Nevis. He was an active member of a local church in Nevis since childhood.
Amory was known for his fondness for cricket. An opening batsman, he played first-class cricket for the Combined Islands and the Leeward Islands from 1969 to 1981. His highest score was 88, for Leeward Islands against Windward Islands in 1977-78, when he helped to ensure a draw after Leeward Islands trailed by 167 runs on the first innings. In his last match he captained Leeward Islands against the touring English team in March 1981, scoring 37 and 56. He suffered injuries during his career, including a broken nose that caused him to be carried off the field.
Amory excelled academically, obtaining passes in 5 out of available 7 GCE ‘O’ level subjects at Charlestown Secondary School. He subsequently achieved his ‘A’ grade levels in St. Kitts, and went on to the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree. Then he returned home in 1973 to teach students at Charlestown Secondary School.
He taught at Gingerland Secondary School from 1974 to 1977, including a period of six months as acting headmaster. Then, at the age of 28, he became the youngest headmaster of Charlestown Secondary School
He took an institution that was lagging seriously behind and almost single-handedly restored acceptable grades and credibility. The transition from GCE ‘O’ levels to CXC and the newly introduced sports programs were among some of the challenges that he overcame, despite opposition. He assisted greatly with the education improvement of thousands during his days as teacher and principal.
Between 1981 and 1983 Amory was manager of the Nevis Branch of the St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla National Bank, during which time he aided many individuals in obtaining well needed financing. That Bank was relatively new on Nevis and had its early difficulties.
Nevis residents were very cautious in doing business with the institution and Amory set his mind to change this. The bank thereafter experienced healthy financial growth. He was also instrumental in overseeing the purchase of the land on which National Bank sits today.
In 1983, Amory applied for and successfully received a position in the finance department of the Nevis Island Government. He was then promoted to Permanent Secretary in Finance, under the premiership of Dr. Simeon Daniel. It was from that position that Amory learned the ins and outs of governance. He took study leave in September 1986 to further his education at University of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix campus. He resigned his position in December of that year and reported that he wanted to dedicate himself for the betterment of Nevis.
In 1987 he organized a political party, the Concerned Citizens Movement.
He was elected to the St Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in 1989.
In 1992, he became Premier of Nevis and served until 2006. His transformation of the face of Nevis can be seen in many facets. He played a substantial role in securing the funding for the construction of the airport. There were numerous regulatory obstacles strewn in path of the airport development and numerous delays by the Basseterre Government (in Saint Kitts) in extending a loan guarantee. His commitment to the successful completion of the project is one reason that the airport bears his name. He served a second term from 2013 to 2017.
Amory also served as Senior Minister and Minister of Labour, Social Security and Ecclesiastical Affairs in the Team Unity Government of St. Kitts and Nevis from 2015 to 2020.
In July 2016, Amory was admitted to a hospital in Canada and released after receiving a clean bill of health.
He did not contest Federal elections in 2020
Amory was appointed Ambassador in the Team Unity Government and recently attended a meeting of the Conference of Caribbean Heads of Government in Belize in 2022.
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