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Caricom prefers to maintain the status quo

The United States is supporting the position taken by Caricom leaders that St. Kitts & Nevis should preserve its Federation.

This comes as speculation continues to mount that a referendum on the secession issue can come as early as next month.

Washington said that while it recognises that the people of Nevis had a constitutional right to determine their future, it was backing the position adopted by Caricom leaders at their summit in Jamaica last July

During that Summit, Caricom leaders declared their strong preference for the federation to be preserved as a single nation within the international community.

Earlier this month, Nevis Premier Vance Amory told citizens they should begin designing a flag and composing a national anthem.

No date has yet been given for the referendum, but Mr. Amory has been urging Nevisians who have reached the age of 18 to register.

A confident Premier has also suggested that the island should start looking at discussing the issue of Nevis' Independence with the international community at an informal level.

A previous attempt at secession in August 1998 fell short of the required two-thirds majority when 62 per cent of Nevisians voted in favour.