Newly elected Premier of Nevis, the Honourable Vance Amory, has appointed the Honourable Mark Anthony Graham Brantley as Minister with portfolio responsibility for Tourism, Health, Social Development, Youth and Sports, Culture and Gender Affairs.

In making the appointment the Premier said, “We are at a critical moment in the development of Nevis’ tourism and we need renewed leadership to successfully implement our strategy to take advantage of the market opportunities ahead. Nevis is fortunate to have someone of Mark’s caliber and experience to lead the industry in the capacity of Minister of Tourism. Mark is a strong communicator and has a solid understanding of what is required to develop our tourism plant and I have every confidence in his abilities to successfully expand our tourism economy.”

“I am honored and excited to lead Nevis’ tourism industry, which is vitally important to the people of Nevis and to the economy of our small island destination,” Minister Brantley stated.

“We are challenged by the growing commoditization of the travel product and global competitiveness that is being driven by pricing. It is therefore critically important for Nevis to be differentiated from the mass market tourism that is now dominant in the Caribbean by providing the visitor with an authentic experience that has real value,” he continued.

It is the intention of our administration to foster tactical alliances between the government, the private sector and our local communities so there are opportunities for Nevisian entrepreneurs with small and medium enterprises, as well as international investors to prosper,” he concluded.

Following his election on 22nd January, Minister Brantley made an unofficial visit to the office of the Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA) to meet with NTA CEO, John Hanley and the staff of the Authority. He also met with staff at the Ministry of Tourism at Bath Hotel. The Honourable Minister will hit the ground running when he begins his week, meeting officially with the NTA team, the Hotel and Tourism Association and other key tourism stakeholders in Nevis.

During these meetings, he is expected to lay out his vision for the industry and stakeholders’ roles and functions in executing his mission. Minister Brantley will also review the NTA’s work plan for the next 100 days to ensure that programs for the important 2013 winter season are in place.

The Honourable Mark A. G. Brantley is an attorney by profession and a managing partner of the law firm Daniel, Brantley & Associates. He was educated at the University of West Indies, the Norman Manley Law School and the University of Oxford.

Minister Brantley has been a Senator in the Nevis Island Assembly for the Concerned Citizens Movement and is the Leader of the Opposition in the Federal Parliament.