The fight for the five Electoral Constituencies on the island has never before been so aggressive and divisive. The opposition Concerned Citizens Movement, CCM, headed by former Premier, Vance Amory, has been making the case that the ruling Nevis Reformation Party, NRP, of current Premier Joseph Parry, has been flexing its political muscles of influence to manipulate the process that determines which names remain on the Voters List, for the poll.

However, Premier Parry is now making his own claims that it is the CCM, who should be blamed for any unwarranted practices within the electoral system. He charged that it was the CCM that started the objections to deny persons from being registered to vote.

It is Parry’s argument that, it was CCM that objected to persons whom they felt were wrongly registered. He said the opposition took the matter to court, after some of their objections were denied by officials at the electoral office.

Parry said his party only became involved after they realized that large numbers of their well known supporters were being objected to by CCM.

However, CCM has charged that even their political leader Vance Amory’s name was taken from the list and they remain very concerned about the matter, because there is no doubt that if this holds true, the repercussions could be severe.

Parry said though that as far as he is aware, Mr. Amory is still politically alive and well, and that he will be a candidate in the upcoming elections and that he, (Amory), is, and has always been on the voters list.

The Premier used the occasion to also remind the public that when his party was in opposition between 1992 and 2006, it too had to deal with many electoral challenges that also required court action.

He said they did not always receive the desired results, but they did not seek to create confusion on the island.

Meanwhile, Amory indicates that this issue will continue to be one of the main topics of debate during the ongoing campaign.