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Jonel Powell

As Team Unity continued its series of town hall meetings, endorsements have been earned by well- deserving candidates.

Last Thursday at the Old Girls School Team Unity and PAM candidate for Central Basseterre, Attorney Jonel Powell, made his presentation of hope and opportunity as he addressed issues pertaining to the development in Central Basseterre

During the question and answer period former Minister of Government in the Labour administration and former Representative for Central Basseterre, Hon G A Dwyer Astaphan, took the mic and publicly endorsed Jonel Powell as his choice for Representative of Constituency 2.

Dwyer Astaphan                                                                  

Astaphan said “Just in case there was any remaining doubt in the minds of the people, I endorse and will be supporting and voting for Jonel Powell, in the election against incumbent Marcella Liburd.”

 

Astaphan served as the Central Basseterre constituency representative from 1995-2010, and retired from parliamentary elections just before the 2010 poll, making way for Marcella Liburd of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party, of which he was then a member.

 

Astaphan also committed to work with and assist Powell as best as possible in achieving the ultimate aim of securing victory.

Astaphan follows the Rt. Hon. Sir Kennedy A Simmonds who similarly endorsed the young and accomplished Powell while at a Central Basseterre Constituency Group meeting at PAM Headquarters on April 14^th of this year.

 

Rt.Hon. Sir Kennedy Simmonds

According to observers the endorsements of Powell by Astaphan and Simmonds is definitely unprecedented. This is the first time in the history of St.Kitts-Nevis politics that a Candidate has received the full endorsement of two of his predecessors from opposite sides of the political divide. Dwyer Astaphan was the constituency representative and National Security Minister in the Labour Administration. Sir Kennedy Simmonds of course was the country’s first Prime Minister and Leader of the PAM/NRP Administration. Sir Simmonds as PAM Leader and Prime Minister represented Central Basseterre from 1980 to 1995 and Astaphan as Labour Minister from 1995 to 2008. Powell is hoping to unseat current Labour Party representative Hon. Marcella Liburd.