Members of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition intend to be present at Wednesday’s Budget Session of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly “despite the government’s anti-democratic attempts to keep us out,” according to Deputy Political Leader of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), Dr. Earl Asim Martin.
“The government has deliberately supplied members of the Opposition the necessary documents relating to the budget only on Monday of this week. This is a deliberate breaking of the laws to suit Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris’ political game,” Martin, the former deputy prime minister in the previous St. Kitts-Nevis Labour administration told an SKNLP press conference Tuesday afternoon
“Come Thursday, we expect to commence with our responses to the Budget. As the people’s representatives, it is critical that we speak on the people’s behalf and ensure that the government’s Budget is crafted with the people’s benefit first and foremost within its lines,” he said.
Dr. Martin said the SKNLP “expect the Speaker, Hon. Michael Perkins to be his usual self.”
“Speaker Perkins will continue to be bias and unfair. He will continue to collude with the government on every matter before the Parliament. We expect the constant interruptions, the erroneous interpretations of the parliamentary rules and standing orders, and we expect there to be endless attempts to shut down the Opposition,” said Dr. Martin.
“Nevertheless, we will be present to conduct the people’s business and address their affairs as is standard practice of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party,” said Dr. Martin who served as the Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher 1 (East Basseterre) from 1993 to 2015.