Prominent paediatrician Dr. Patrick Martin said Monday that the mere naming of the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris in an alleged bribery scandal in London, has caused damage to citizen, investor and visitor confidence.
In an opinion posted on social media, the highly-respected physician is of the view that damage control is warranted and suggested that Cabinet has the collective responsibility to impose the action of Asot Michael of Antigua who resigned from the Cabinet of Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne. Michael is the other Caribbean minister named in the British judgement.
“The Prime Minister is named but not charged with a criminal offense in the gifting matter proceeding through the British court system. The presumption of innocence applies but his naming is injurious to citizen, investor and visitor confidence,” the former chief medical officer said.
Weighing in on the alleged scandal, Dr. Martin noted that first and foremost, governing for the common good is the collective responsibility of Cabinet and the principle should be employed to resolve an entanglement, alleged or actual, touching a minister including the Prime Minister.
“In Cabinet, the buck stops with the Prime Minister. He is ultimately answerable for all Cabinet actions, good or offensive to the common good. The Prime Minister and his Cabinet team swore an oath of office tantamount to a promise: ‘To do the good that they can do.’ The presumption is that nothing will be said and done to harm the regard of our beloved land as a nation of laws and wisdom,” said Dr. Martin.
He added that “with harm done, damage-control is warranted and Cabinet has the collective responsibility to impose the same, at all costs,” pointing out that Antigua and Barbuda is the most recent model.
“There, an entangled minister fell on his sword seemingly without hesitation, equivocation or condition. He is a popular representative; he did not summon supporters to a display of personal adulation,” said Dr. Martin.
Michael, the Antigua Minister of Investment and Trade resigned on May 15th 2018 after the court judgement of May 11th 2018 which stated that while he was Minister of Energy in 2016, he demanded money, a car and campaign financing from now scandal hit-British investor, Peter Virdee.
“Such high regard for country is a benchmark. It effectively delinks a private matter from governance affairs. This ‘high-water mark’ applies to my Prime Minister; more so because he is first among equals,” said Dr. Martin.
He continued: “Country Above Self” and collective responsibility can restore confidence in the avowed good governance agenda and the country’s good name. In demonstrating such resolve, Cabinet should ensure certain confidence-building checks and balances are brought to bear within the promised timeline.”
“Measures include, inter alia, term limits for the Office of Prime Minister, timely availability of government information, robust but just integrity in public life regulations, and a public accounts committee with teeth,” said Dr. Martin, who further suggested that as a matter of paramount urgency, Cabinet should consider and implement a policy that governs how ministers handle gifts.
“Not that all investors and allies are out to entrap ministers. But that gift-offering begets gift-receiving and a penchant for gift-begging begets ministerial compromise. Fallouts include white elephant and unethical projects in which profit supersedes the health of the environment and humans,” said Dr. Martin.
He is of the view that “gift-givers and their projects should be kept at arms-length pending due diligence checks, impact assessments, and other ‘common good’ advice provided by the competent functionaries and ordinary people.”
Transcripts from surveillance recordings made by German police were handed over to the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the UK, which triggered their own criminal investigation into allegations of bribery by British tycoon Peter Virdee in which the names of St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris and other Caribbean politicians are mentioned.
The National Crime Agency in the UK alleges Virdee and his partner conspired to bribe corrupt officials.
Two judges in London, were presented with transcripts of a conversation on 12th March, 2016, in which Peter Virdee allegedly told his business partner, Dieter Trutschler that the Prime Minister of St Kitts, Timothy Harris, in London on his way from Dubai and he was taking Harris and his entourage out for dinner that evening and then have an after-party, “so be ready for a big bill.”
Virdee also told his business partner that Harris asked him for a watch.