WITH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PAYMENTS DUE SOON, A STAY DENIED BY THE APPELLATE COURT, AND THE TRIAL JUDGE ADVISING BANK LICENSE SUSPENSIONS IN NEVIS' TROUBLED OFFSHORE FINANCIAL CENTER, PREMIER MARK BRANTLEY IS CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

What will Nevis Premier MARK BRANTLEY do? Last week the appeals court declined to order a Stay of the Omnibus Judgment, requiring two of his island nation's offshore banks to remit millions owed by October 29, and the Court had also advised him to suspend them. At his latest press conference, Brantley stated that, so long as the appellate process was ongoing, he would not intervene, but he clearly counted on a Stay being part of the picture; when it was not ordered, he found himself without any reason or excuse to delay taking any enforcement action.
The Premier reportedly met virtually with his advisors, looking for a reason to ignore the increasing pressure to take action, but we have not seen any evidence that he has taken any affirmative steps to remedy what is a serious situation, threatening the very future of Nevis' offshore financial structure. If the deadline date for payment, the 29th, passes, and nonpayment is the outcome, he will be under even more pressure to act.