BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, April 5, 2021 (MMS-SKN) — One week after the Peoples Labour Party (PLP), the fastest growing party in the Caribbean, held the hugely successful 2021 National Convention on the grounds of the Ottley’s playing field, action was back on Ottley’s this time on the hardcourts as hundreds converged there at the end of Prime Minister’s Monthly Health Walk on Saturday April 3.
“Today we had a fantastic turnout for the health walk, notwithstanding all the competing activities,” said Prime Minister and National Political Leader of the Peoples Labour Party Dr the Hon Timothy Harris. “To me it was a very good sight to witness the huge turnout that we had today. I thank all those who participated. We had some newcomers, and newcomers are always welcome.”
Heavy rains the previous evening did not stop health conscious walk enthusiasts who had assembled at the Bellevue Bus Stop from as early as 5:00 am. They were called to order by National Chairman of the Peoples Labour Party, Mr Warren Thompson, at 5:45 am and after a word of prayer by PLP National Women Representative, Mrs Sonia Henry, they set off for Ottley’s.
The Honourable Prime Minister commended the group from St. Paul’s and in particular Mr Shaheed Williams who organised to have a large turnout and brought a group of newcomers from Constituency Number Six. He hoped that they will be regular in their attendance and will also continue to bring new persons.
“It was good to have the youth leaders participating, Ms Katherina Davis, and Mr Jeremiah Locker, and I want to commend their involvement,” said Dr Harris of the two PLP National Youth Representatives. “I want to thank those members of the Executive who took time to be there and in particular to acknowledge Dr Bernicia Nisbett who participated.”
Other members of the National Executive of the Peoples Labour Party who were also commended by the National Political Leader included National Secretary Ms Myrtilla Williams, National Treasurer Mr Rawle Mars, Women Representatives Mrs Sonia Henry and Ms Petrona Thomas, National Legal Representative Ms Violet Williams, National Deputy Secretary Ms Desiree Huggins, and National Deputy Treasurer Mrs Patrice Ofre.
“I want to thank all the executive members and to thank the team,” said Dr Harris. “I think today they did something very special being Easter, in terms of adding more to the breakfast and a wider offering. So I want to thank all those who would have helped in any way – who would have made donations to the effort and in particular the young ladies who took the time to serve the hundreds of people who participated.”
All eight Peoples Labour Party Executive Branches were well represented by party membership while Constituency Number Five had its Chairman Mr Glenville Mills, and Deputy Chair Ms Marsha Lewis, and Constituency Number Seven had its Chairman Mr Lenworth Harris.
Regular participants of the Prime Minister Monthly Health Walk, which is now held under the umbrella of SKN Moves, included Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China on Taiwan His Excellency Tom Lee and embassy staff, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Mr Vincent William Hodge, Director of St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board Mr Antonio Maynard, and Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly Ms Trevlyn Stapleton.
Also on the walk was the visiting Trinidad-based Consultant Clinical/Forensic Psychologist, Dr Sharon-ann Gopaul-McNicol who delivered the keynote at the convention which was held on the grounds of Ottley’s playing field on March 27.
“I commend the Ambassador of the Republic of China on Taiwan His Excellency Tom Lee for coming and being part of the whole effort to get St. Kitts and Nevis more active physically on the move,” said Dr Harris. He also commended some persons from the Ross University, for coming out and supporting the walk and by so doing adding to their own health and wellness.
Efforts by young men led by Eldon ‘Big T’ Harris in mobilising the transportation to and fro of the participants, also came in for high commendation from Prime Minister Harris.
“I would say our post-convention activities have been well attended,” he observed. “We had a successful church service the Sunday after the convention at The Temple Church in Dieppe Bay, and today we were able to follow up with a very successful health walk. Tomorrow we go to church at the House of Deliverance New Testament Church of God in Tabernacle and I basically just want to commend the efforts of all who have made the hosting of these events possible.”
]]>BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, March 27, 2021 (PLP PR Media Inc.) The youngest and fastest growing political party on the region, the Peoples Labour Party (PLP), held the private session of its National Convention 2021 on Friday March 26 where the entire executive, led by National Political Leader and Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, was elected unopposed.
Held under the theme ‘Together: Empowering and Uniting People; Rebuilding our Economy’, the private session which was held at the Royal St. Kitts Hotel Conference Room saw most of the office holders returned unopposed. Aspirants for positions left vacant by holders – one who left the country and the other who is going for further studies – were nominated and elected unopposed in the exercise that was overseen by Mr Franklin Maitland of the audit firm Maitland Maitland & Associates (MMA).
Retaining positions on the new Peoples Labour Party National Executive were National Political Leader, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris; Deputy National Political Leader, the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett; National Chairman, Mr Warren Thompson; and National Secretary, Ms Myrtilla Williams.
New on the executive is National Treasurer Mr Rawle Mars, nominated and elected unopposed to replace Mr Victor Earle who is now one of the three PLP National Trustees, joining Mr Heston Hamm and Mr Donald Caines who have been National Trustees all along.
Also returned are National Women Representatives, Mrs Sonia Henry and Ms Petrona Thomas; and National Party Organiser, Mr Alexis Nisbett. New Deputy National Chairperson is Ms Claudette Thompson, who is not new on the Executive having served as the Deputy National Treasurer on the previous Executive.
New on the PLP National Executive are Deputy National Secretary, Ms Desiree Huggins; Deputy National Treasurer, Mrs Patrice Ofre; National Youth Representatives, Mr Jeremiah Locker and Ms Katherina Davis.
A new position created on the new Executive is that of Communication Officer that went to Mr Craig Tuckett, who is not new to the Executive having served as the Deputy National Chairman on the last Executive. While Mr Anthony Ross QC has previously been associated with the Peoples Labour Party in a legal capacity, he along with Ms Violet Williams took the two National Legal Representative positions.
“This is now our complete team,” announced National Political Leader Dr the Hon Timothy Harris when he introduced the new Executive. “We are here to serve you, to serve the party, the serve the Unity family, and most importantly to serve St. Kitts and Nevis to the best of our ability.”
Dr Harris added: “For completeness I should advise that by the party rules, the Deputy National Speaker Senator Dr Bernicia Nisbett is also automatically, as a result of her parliamentary position, a member of the executive having been appointed as the PLP Senator in the parliament.”
The Peoples Labour Party which was established in 2013 is steadily growing. It won the first seat in the National Assembly in 2015, and the second seat following the 2020 General Elections.
The Honourable National Political Leader while thanking those who have worked hard to bring the party to where it is now, advised that there was room in the PLP for everybody to come, telling the members that “your approach must be welcoming, and every time if somebody new comes welcome them to the party so that we could be bigger and stronger.”
Dr Harris added: “As we convene this convention we have party groups in every constituency – that is a plus. We now have to build it stronger and better because we do not know what the future holds. We can’t take our eyes off the future, we can’t take our eyes off the consolidation of the future; we can’t take our eyes away from building the party stronger and better than it was.”
Due to Covid-19 regulations being observed, the business/private session of the National Convention which would normally hold over 300 persons had the attendance reduced by about 60%. Each constituency branch as a result had 12 delegates as opposed to 35 delegates for previous conventions.
“We have to behave in a manner that shows that we are serious and we are supportive of the government’s programme to defeat Covid-19,” said Dr Harris. “That is why I must express the regret, my own personal regret and that of the executive that the large amount of crowd we normally have at our convention we would not encourage in the face of Covid-19.”
Prime Minister Harris informed the delegates that Covid rules state that for indoor events a function must have no more than 100 persons.
“We have to walk the talk,” he said. “As a party in Government we have said that to fight Covid-19 we must avoid mass gatherings and we as a party in government are committed to that and that is why we have reduced significantly by more than 60 per cent the attendance at our convention which would normally have around 300.”
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