BASSETERRE – The Leader of the Opposition in St. Kitts and Nevis, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has announced that the Speaker of the St. Kitts and Nevis Assembly Hon. Franklin Brand has resigned. “As the Leader of the Opposition in our Parliament, I wish to confirm that Speaker Franklin Brand has resigned as the Speaker of the National Assembly and the main reason that has been given for his resignation is that he is sick and tired of deceptive Timothy Harris, our Prime Minister,” said Dr. Douglas during a terse statement on Freedom FM 106.5 FM popular “Issues” programme on Wednesday afternoon.
No other information was given by Dr. Douglas, the former Prime Minister. There has been no official word on Mr Brand’s resignation, but Dr. Douglas’ statement ends months of speculation that the Brand was quitting the post for health reasons. His relationship reportedly soured after his decision late last year to direct Minister of Infrastructure Hon Ian Patches Liburd to discontinue his presentation in the lawmaking body after he repeatedly disobeyed the ruling of the Speaker.
Kyss FM reporting on the Douglas announcement, noted that Brand attending and chairing only a couple sittings of Parliament, speculation was rife that the Speaker was unhappy and resigned. Now the leader of the opposition in the national parliament of St. Kitts and Nevis has publicly confirmed the resignation of Speaker Franklin Brand. Dr. Denzil Douglas, the former Prime Minister and political leader of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party, the largest political entity, made the revelation Wednesday afternoon. Speaking on his party’s weekly radio program Dr. Douglas said “the official reason given is that the speaker is sick and tired of the deception of Prime Minister Harris.
” Although no effective date was released, Team Unity sources say the resignation was effective at the end of last month. No official government statement had been issued up to late Wednesday although other media reports quoted two ministers of not aware of the resignation
There had been countless uncorroborated reports for months that the speaker, which was appointed by the Team Unity Government (TUG) April 2015, had quit over differences with the government that appointed him. However, in January of this year and at the most recent Prime Minister’s Press Conference, Prime Minister Harris denied that Brand had resigned. He explained that his continued absence from the chair of the National Assembly was due to persistent illness. Brand is among several other top ranking TUG supporters and appointees that have resigned their positions, or publicly voiced their disappointment over the poor performance of the Timothy Harris led triad coalition.
At the end of February the Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Clecton Phillip, a founding member of Team Unity and its official spokesman while in opposition also resigned from his post. Last month former tourism minister G. A. Dwyer Astaphan, another pillar of Team Unity, used his Operation Rescue’s radio program “The Operating Room” to lament the failings of the government and particularly the slow pace of implementing its manifesto and campaign promises. Several key supporters have also publicly criticism of Prime Minister Harris on local radio and social media prompting a frontpage story in the Sr Kitts-Nevis Observer newspaper headlined “UNITY CRACKING” in its April 22nd 2016 issue.
Franklin Brand a Nevisian, former politician and businessman is the shortest serving speaker of the National Assembly post independence. It is widely expected that his replacement will be announced shortly, or introduced at the next sitting of the National Assembly. In Brand’s absence the house was chaired by TUG Senator, and deputy speaker Michael Perkins, whose rulings from the Speaker’s chair were marred by repeated controversy and accusations of bias from the opposition.