NRP Press Release
Charlestown, Nevis (Monday, September 29, 2014)- One of the most recent victims of job dismissal on Nevis is Former Director of Learning Support/Special Education, Miss Andrea Bussue, who said the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mrs. Hazel Brandy Williams has been silent on the ill treatment being meted out to women by her Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) led Cabinet.
Miss Bussue made the statement recently on Freedom FM’s Good Morning St. Kitts- Nevis radio show with popular host, Maurice “EK” Flanders.
“EK, I am very, very disappointed in the lone woman that sits in Cabinet, Mrs. Hazel Brandy Williams, as she has not been out there on women issues especially on the vast wanton victimization of women, especially single mothers or grandmothers who take care of their grandchildren,” said Ms. Bussue.
“Mrs. Williams and I did a course for women in politics, she in St. Lucia and I in Jamaica and I am surprised to see her sit idly by while women are losing their jobs simply because of who they support politically! When I was in Jamaica, I saw People’s National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) collaborating on Women issues that needed to be fought. Now how can Mrs. Williams who was the beneficiary of such program sit in a Cabinet today and see women being sent home because of whom they support politically?”
Ms. Bussue went on to say that it was very unfortunate that the Minister of Women’s Affairs could be as low as to let even office cleaners go home.
“I consider education to be a privilege and I am blessed to be educated. Some of these women were not able to get a University education and to think that these cabinet members are University educated and have forgotten about their less educated fellow human beings who will find it difficult to get a new job,” commented Ms. Bussue.
Bussue made a clarion call for Mrs. Brandy-Williams to choose the option of speaking out against the vast abuse by the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) towards women or to get out of the Ministry. According to Bussue, by not saying or doing anything is a poor choice because “there is a need for a push for women and children issues in Nevis.”
She also pointed to the fact that she is an aunt to nieces and nephews and she (Bussue) could never sit aside in Cabinet while her brother or sister -in -law loses their job.
“One of the first persons whose contract was not renewed under CCM was Mr. Pearlivan ‘Don’ Wilkins, the brother in law to Mrs. Hazel Brandy Williams. This just goes to show the poor family values under this CCM-led Administration,” stated Miss. Bussue.
According to Bussue, even the attempted rape and murder of the Nevis teenager, Miss Shante Claxton never reaped any statement to the public from the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mrs. Hazel Williams.
Bussue stated that while Minister of Gender Affairs in St. Kitts, Hon. Marcella Liburd quickly made statements on the radio and in social media the same day when confirmation was given of the Shante Claxton murder, the people of the Federation up to now have never heard a word from Mrs. Williams who is also Minister of Social Affairs in Nevis.
During the closing of the program Miss Bussue said that the, “NIA is raping our women and castrating our men.” Host Ek asked Bussue, “What does that statement mean”?
Miss Bussue concluded that the CCM see their role in government as a power mechanism that is taking away the dignity of women by taking away their jobs and a castration of the men by making them helpless without means of supporting their families.