NIA CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS (July 27, 2026)– Premier of Nevis, the Honourable Mark Brantley, says recent high-level engagement among key stakeholders has yielded significant progress toward advancing the proposed Destiny Special Sustainable Zone (SSZ) Project.
The Premier provided the update during his monthly press conference on Thursday, July 23.
“Yesterday a very high-level meeting between representatives from the federal government, representatives from the Nevis Island Administration and representatives from the Destiny developers and the meeting occurred at the Four Seasons Resort. It took up a significant part of yesterday and the whole purpose behind that meeting was to iron out some remaining issues.
“The Honourable Prime Minister [Dr. Terrance Drew] would have written to me indicating that having considered the matter at the cabinet, they had four issues that were of some concern and those issues I am advised would have been resolved in that meeting that occurred yesterday and if that is the position it now means therefore that we should be in a position to move forward with that particular project.”
Premier Brantley sought to clarify the legal framework governing the proposed Destiny Project, emphasizing that the approval process is prescribed by law, includes multiple levels of oversight, and provides opportunities for public engagement while safeguarding the Federation’s constitutional authority.
“The SSZ legislation created a framework for particular types of developments and that is why for development in Nevis that wants to be registered under that legislation it has to first come to the NIA Cabinet, then it goes to the Federal Cabinet, then it has to go to the parliament in Nevis then it has to go to the parliament in St. Kitts.
“So it’s a very long process that is why I’ve kept saying to the public, some of whom are quite agitated, I’m not sure why they’re so agitated because I’ve said the information by law has to come to you…We’re still at a very early stage of this, and so I have tried my very best to say to our people that we’ve already given some but there will be further opportunities to engage on this issue of not just the SSZ but whether or not this particular development is a development that we want and the form that that development is going to take.”
Premier Brantley assured the public that both he and Prime Minister Drew had been diligent in ensuring that the proposed framework would not infringe upon the Federation’s Constitution and that key constitutional safeguards- including the authority of the Director of Public Prosecutions over criminal matters, the Commissioner of Police over policing and security, and the constitutional roles of Customs and Immigration- would remain fully intact.
He reminded the public that the SSZ legislation requires any project agreement to be made public before it is presented to the Nevis Island Assembly, ensuring the public has an opportunity to review and discuss the proposed terms. He urged residents to remain patient and allow the legislative process to unfold.
“Take it easy. The agreement will come. It has to come. Let the process work…Let us wait; let us abide the process. Nobody is trying to hide anything. It is just a process, and it would be foolish of us as government to put version after version after version of agreement into the public domain. We’ll put the version that is ultimately proposed by the NIA and by the Federal Government over to the parliament so that people can then engage on that version.”
The Destiny SSZ Project, the landmark development proposed for the south coast of the island, is expected to deliver significant long-term benefits to Nevis through increased investment, employment opportunities, expanded tourism offerings, infrastructure development, and sustained economic growth.
