As Saint Kitts and Nevis investment immigration emerges in the Chinese investment immigration industry, this North American country has begun to attract attention, particularly from those looking to immigrate. This group is most concerned with the political system and constitution of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Political System
The federal government is responsible to the parliament and handles the internal affairs of the island of Saint Kitts. The island of Nevis has considerable autonomy and possesses an independent parliament consisting of five members. In the October 2004 elections, the Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party won seven of the eight seats on the island of Saint Kitts, retaining power. The political situation in Saint Kitts is stable, though Nevis has tendencies toward independence. In June 1997, Vance Amory, the Premier of the Nevis Island Administration, once again proposed a motion for Nevis to secede from the federation. On August 10, 1998, a referendum was held in Saint Kitts and Nevis, where 61.8% of citizens voted in favor of Nevis's independence, which was 5 percentage points short of the statutory two-thirds majority. The Concerned Citizens' Movement raised the issue of Nevis's secession from the federation again in 2003, stating that they would strive for independence once more through a referendum.
Constitution
The current constitution was established upon independence on September 19, 1983. The constitution stipulates that Saint Kitts and Nevis implements a federal system, granting Nevis maximum autonomy. Nevis not only has its own legislative body but also its own government agencies, with a Premier and a Deputy Governor-General. The Deputy Governor-General serves as the highest official on the island of Nevis.