That was elected Representative for Nevis #5 (St. Thomas’ Parish) and Member of the Opposition in the Nevis Island Assembly, Hon. Cleone Stapleton-Simmonds, in an address aired on VON Radio on Wednesday February 15th. An Independent is a politician not affiliated with any political party.

This comes on the heels of an announcement by the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP’s) Leader the Hon. Dr. Janice Daniel-Hodge, on Friday February 10th, that Mrs. Simmonds (who was the Deputy Leader of the Party) has been “conditionally suspended” from the Party.

It is in connection with the ongoing impasse on Nevis, specifically for the Opposition side of the Nevis Island Assembly, about the choice of a nominated member of Parliament on the Opposition side (or Senator) and the Opposition Leader. In the December 12th, 2022 Nevis Island Assembly Elections, the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) won 3 of the 5 seats, while NRP won 2 seats.

Therefore, NRP gained two seats, forming the Opposition and allowing for the Occasion of an Opposition Leader, being appointed. But what happens now, considering Mrs. Simmonds is now an independent? According to Section 58, Section 2 of SKN’s Constitution, “no Representative shall be eligible for appointment unless it appears to the Governor-General that that Representative commands the support of at least one other Representative.”

The VONNEWSLINE attempted to contact NRP’s Leader for further comment on the matter, but to no avail.