BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – Former St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon Dr. Denzil L. Douglas Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris for trampling on the rights of citizens and residents who are critical of his 18-momth old three-party coalition.
“We continue to express our concerns as a Party and as a people that Harris has no respect for peoples’ rights and as he continues on this path to erode our democratic rights, people will have to take appropriate action in their own hands in order to enhance their freedoms and to pursue democracy here in St Kitts and Nevis,” said Dr Douglas on Freedom FM “Issues” programme.
Dr Douglas’ criticism was prompted by recent remarks by Prime Minister Harris at a Town Hall Meeting in which Dr Harris urged supporters of his government to stop listening to Talk shows on Freedom FM and WINNFM that are critical of him and his government.
WINNFM reported Prime Minister Harris as venting his frustration about what’s being said on radio about him and his government and played a soundbite from the meeting in which he said: “When you hear some of the things that big people on Freedom Radio, you just streups and turn off your radio – foolishness dem a talk.
When you hear some of the crazy things some of the people want to call in on WINN [FM] and scandalize and undermine your team unity government, turn off your radio – foolishness dem a talk. Stop listen to de nonsense dem that dey a talk. Don’t get yourself caught up in that mischief- that is a distraction.”
Detailing what he said were instances of continued threats to democracy in St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Douglas, the Leader of the Opposition in the St Kitts and Nevis National Assembly pointed out freedom of association has been targeted and under attack by the Harris Government.
“You have heard from Dr Harris that persons in the Public Service who wear red will not be welcomed in the Government Service.
You have heard that any citizen who associates with Members of Parliament elected on the opposition benches will not be accepted and tolerated in this country by this Timothy Harris Government and you have heard that persons who are supportive of any march organised by the Labour Party, even a march that is organized to commemorate and to celebrate workers; rights in this country on Labour Day, were threatened that they would lose their jobs if they were to march on that particular day.
Freedom of Association is under attack here in St Kitts and Nevis under this Administration,” said Dr Douglas. He pointed to the respect for Freedom of Association practised by his St Kitts-Nevis Labour Government when Osbert de Souza, then Head of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) and now Permanent Secretary in the Office of Prime Minister “marched every Friday after when Dr Harris and members of his Government were in opposition, but today, Osbert de Souza is a member of the government at the highest level and when he march or protested against the Labour Government, no one victimised him or threatened him.”
Dr. Douglas referred to a statement by former Principal of the Basseterre High School, Bishop Ron Collins who stated that he came into serious conflict with then Minister of Education (Nigel Carty) and then Prime Minister (Dr. Denzil Douglas) and none of them ever threatened his job, “but today his job is being threatened because he dares to challenge and speak out against practices which he believes are wrong under the Timothy Harris Administration.”
“When a people’s rights to certain things, when their freedoms are being curtailed, when our democracy continues to be under serious threat, it is a time for people to become mobilised and do what they have to do to remove this government from office,” said Dr. Douglas, who noted that on taking office in July 1995, three radio stations were operating having obtained the required licenses by the then PAM Administration.
“When we left office 18 months ago no less than 10 radio stations operated or had licenses to operate with the full view that they would enhance our democracy and peoples freedom of expression here in St. Kitts and Nevis,” said Dr. Douglas.
“Today if our people are no longer free to listen to the radio stations of their own choice, how are they going to express their views on the abuses and deception of the Harris government since it has taken office? How are we to express openly that we are against the deception that is being practised with regard to the handling of the BHS matter?
How are we to speak out against the atrocities that are taking place against the students at the BHS, who have no labs, no proper working spaces, no spaces for practical subjects like woodwork, metalwork or information technology so that they can become employable when they leave school?
How are we to express our disgust when parents are calling us to say that their children went to the CFBC to register and were told that unless they come with their money, they will not be registered to begin classes when the first semester begins?
How are we to express our disgust with the Timothy Harris government for dismantling and destroying our Citizenship by Investment Programme which was a leading programme in the entire world? How are we to express and bring these atrocities to the people if the people no longer have the right to call in to radio programmes and express themselves,” said Dr. Douglas, who pointed out that under his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Administration, the CBI programme provided support for all levels of activities in the Federation.
“Students were being enhanced in their learning experiences. They were been incentivised through the SIDF. Small entrepreneurs were being financed to start their own businesses,” said Dr Douglas, who further asked how are the people of St. Kitts and Nevis express their disgust “when Prime Minister Harris and each member of his Cabinet is now engaged into looking only after his or her own affairs and his own survival and thus the overall general interest and development of the country takes a back seat.”
“How are we to move our country forward if we cannot speak, if we cannot criticise the government when each and every one of us is being threatened by this government if we dare to speak out. How are we to exercise our freedom, fundamental and democratic rights that our forefathers have worked so hard over the years and for us to continue to cherish and pass on a fully-fledged democracy to the next generations?”
“The continued threat to our freedom of expression and association, the continued threat that this government continues to meet out to the citizens who wish to be critical of their actions, how are we to ensure that our children will have the best learning experiences if we cannot criticise the Minister of Education for stopping the one-to-one Lap Top Programme which benefitted our students” asked Dr Douglas, the Federation’s longest serving Prime Minister.
He said with the sacked principal of the BHS now speaking out, the Minister of Education being severely compromised in dealing with disciplinary matters at the BHS and Prime Minister Harris, who has been at the forefront for undermining the effectiveness of the school under the Labour Administration by deception, parents should consider making requests for transfers of their children to other high schools in St. Kitts and Nevis.