Prickly Nevis And St Kitts Cuddle Up

by Leroy Baker, Lawandtax-News.com, New York

23 January 2007

After a period of some years during which the Nevis administration pursued a secessionist policy in relation to its federation partner St Kitts, there are signs of rapprochement between the two islands.

Nevis Premier Joseph Parry recently told an audience including the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr Denzil Douglas: 'I can definitely say that the Nevis Island Government is working very closely with the Federal Government to make sure the people of Nevis and the people of St Kitts have mutual benefit.'

Mr Perry's Reformation Party took power last year after rival party the CCM had been in power in Nevis for the past fourteen years, and had pursued secession. Nevis came close to seceding in a 1998 referendum, falling just short of the required two-thirds majority.

Other signs of mutual cooperation include plans for the construction of a bridge linking the two islands and the imminent opening of a car-ferry link.

'It is my view that as soon as such a bridge becomes financially viable from a commercial standpoint, the private sector should be facilitated in undertaking this project - perhaps on a build, operate, lease and transfer basis,” said Denzil Douglas last week.

The opening of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) is also pushing the two islands towards a more cooperative arrangement. Under the CSME regional firms will have the right of establishment in both St Kitts and Nevis. Dr Douglas called for consultation and collaboration between the Federal Government of St Kitts and Nevis and the Nevis Island Administration on the issue of business licences, which he said ought to apply on both islands.

'This right of course must be subject to development and planning control at the island level, in relation to the specific physical location of the enterprise,' he said.

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