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SKN TIMES EXCLUSIVE

CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS — July 22, 2025 — After months of denials, deflection, and dodging from both Bassetere and Charlestown, the much-anticipated and hotly debated World Bank Fair Share Report has finally landed on the desk of Premier Mark Brantley and the Nevis Island Administration (NIA). But rather than bring clarity and closure, the report has ignited even more controversy and raised serious questions about transparency, accuracy, and good governance under the Drew administration.

In a pointed and tightly worded statement at his monthly press conference, Premier Brantley confirmed that the NIA recently received the report — the same report the federal government claimed as far back as February to be “in hand.” Yet for months, Brantley insisted that neither he nor his cabinet had seen a copy.

That changed today.

“We have now received the World Bank report. The Cabinet has met twice already to review it. And frankly, we have serious concerns,” Brantley declared, cutting to the core of what is emerging as yet another federal-provincial standoff.

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FROM SILENCE TO SKEPTICISM

Brantley didn’t mince words. He cast doubt on the integrity of the numbers cited in the World Bank analysis, particularly the figures detailing what Nevis is said to have received from the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme over the years.

“There are numbers in that report that do not match what we actually received. We don’t know who provided those numbers, and that is very troubling,” Brantley said.

In other words: someone’s math is off — and Nevis suspects that the federal government fed the World Bank flawed or manipulated data.

The Premier further questioned the vague accounting methods used in the report, noting that critical deductions — such as “national obligations” — were not defined clearly, making it impossible to determine how much revenue was truly available for fair sharing.

“They just say, for example, ‘national obligations.’ But what exactly are those? Where is the itemization? Where is the transparency?” he asked.

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THE DELAY GAME EXPOSED

The timing of the report’s delivery has also raised eyebrows. The Federal Government under Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew claimed it had the report as far back as February. Yet the document was only recently passed on to Nevis — prompting accusations of delay tactics and political gamesmanship.

“I’ve been asked every month by the media, ‘What’s happening with the report?’ And I had nothing to say — because we had nothing,” Brantley emphasized. “Now we do, and what we’ve received is questionable at best.”

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A CALCULATED PUSHBACK

Brantley revealed that the World Bank report outlines four possible scenarios for future revenue sharing between St. Kitts and Nevis — though the international financial body did not explicitly endorse any one scenario. According to Brantley, however, the language suggests there is a “preferred” model — one that the NIA has reviewed and is ready to debate.

Still, he reiterated that “good progress” is being made now that the NIA has the full report, and final analysis is underway through the Ministry of Finance.

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A FEDERATION DIVIDED

This latest development underscores the growing rift between Nevis and the Drew-led Federal Government, particularly over financial equity, transparency, and respect for constitutional autonomy. For many in Nevis, the so-called “Fair Share” debate is not just about numbers — it’s about trust, justice, and survival.

The people of Nevis have waited months — if not years — for accountability on what their true share of national revenues should be. And now, even with the long-awaited report in hand, that wait continues.

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BOTTOM LINE

Premier Brantley and the NIA have thrown down the gauntlet. The Drew administration is now on the hook to explain how and why disputed numbers were submitted to the World Bank and why it took months to deliver a document that is still mired in confusion and doubt.

In a nation demanding fairness, facts, and fiscal responsibility — the Fair Share Report may have arrived, but the real reckoning has just begun.