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CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS, July 15, 2022 (Nevis Reformation Party) — The Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) is calling for the immediate resignation of Hon. Spencer Brand, Member of Parliament for Nevis 1 (St. Paul) and Minister of Public Works, Physical Planning, Posts and Water Services in the Cabinet of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).

Recently leaked communication between Hon. Spencer Brand and the St. Kitts Investment Promotion Agency (SKIPA) shows that even after Hon. Spencer Brand was sworn in as a Minister of Government and Member of Parliament in 2017, he continued to negotiate for the US $44 million Citizenship By Investment (CBI) Project to continue.

In a letter dated March 15, 2019, Hon. Spencer Brand wrote to SKIPA, requesting the allotment of 250 shares for the CBI development. That amount of shares would see Brand reaping a whopping US $200,000 per share. Mr. Brand, in another letter dated January 15, 2021, continued to negotiate for the CBI development to materialize where he was detailing the architectural designs of the CBI project.

Minister Brand, while confirming his involvement in this US $44 million CBI Project, failed to inform the people of Nevis that he continued to negotiate for the development of this CBI Project even after becoming a public official.

The call for Minister Brand’s immediate resignation is even more warranted as he is still yet to offer an explanation to the people of Nevis regarding the inexplicable errors at our island’s main healthcare facility, the Alexandra Hospital, when he was granted the contract to design the new wing.

Minister Brand’s involvement in this CBI Project, where he is set to reap millions of dollars, is gravely wrong, unethical and goes contrary to the Integrity in Public Life Act Chapter 22.18, PART V, Section 27 (Abuse of office) specifically sub-section 1 (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) which states:

(1) A public official commits an offence of abuse of office if he or she— (a) seeks or accepts personal or private benefit for himself or herself or a member of his or her family or a person associated with him or her, whether or not the benefit places him or her under an obligation to the person giving or offering the benefit;

(b) uses public funds or resources for private purposes, including party political purposes;

(c) fails to act impartially, or gives undue preferential treatment to a person or group of persons;

(d) misuses information acquired in the course of his or her duties;

(e) acts in a way that allows or might reasonably be thought to allow, a conflict of interest to arise between the public duties and private interests of the public official;

Hon. Spencer Brand must tender his resignation as a Member of the Nevis Island Assembly and a Minister of Government now!

The constituents of Nevis 1 (St. Paul), and by extension the people of Nevis, deserve an answer. The people deserve honest and just representation. While people are hurting from the dramatic increase in their electricity bills, and the high cost of living, Ministers of Government are busy with their agenda is to excessively enrich themselves by raping the system while many of us suffer.

END

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Janice Daniel Hodge

Political Leader of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP)

CC:

Dr. Carla Barnett, Caricom Community Secretariat (CARICOM)

Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St. Christopher and Nevis

Attorney Garth Wilkin, The St Kitts Nevis Bar Association

Ms. Patricia Claxton, SKNCIC

Mr. Michael Davis, SKNCIC

St. Kitts and Nevis Evangelical Association

St. Kitts and Nevis Christian Council