Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 07, 2016 (SKNIS): Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, weighed in on the Good Governance Agenda, while appearing on Winnfm’s popular talk show, “Voices” on Wednesday, September 07.
In response to a caller about the conduct of Members of Parliament, Prime Minister Harris said that his Government cannot be held accountable for the actions of others.
“Because people conduct themselves in a certain way, it is no fault of the Team Unity Administration. The Team Unity Administration will hold itself responsible to its conduct,” said Prime Minister Harris, while making reference to the behaviour of others in the Federal Parliament. “The Parliamentary Agenda of the Government is determined by a number of things and some people may well prefer that certain matters happen on day one, [and] others may prefer that other matters happen on day one. We have to sit as a Cabinet, having regard to the reviews that we are hearing and make determinations with respect to what it is we are going to move.”
Prime Minister Harris, through that medium, assured the general public and the listening audience that the Government remains committed to the good governance agenda.
“It is because we are committed to a good governance agenda that we have done certain things and done them in a very elegant way,” said Dr. Harris. “It is because we are committed to the notion of no victimization that we can say without contradiction that we have in fact fulfilled that commitment. That is why you have seen no, as it were, across the board shuffle and movement in terms of the senior officers of the Government. We will bring to the Parliament those things that are required of us to come to the Parliament in the time frame in which we have.”
Dr. Harris noted that persons may have their preferences and the Government will carry out those commitments within the five-year term. He added, however, that the Government has fulfilled a number of elements thus far. He spoke to the matter of term limits and noted that matters relating to integrity and other matters have been brought forward by the public. He said they were received and are being evaluated.
“There are other imperatives which face the Government, including the resources available in the department for legal drafting, including other things that we have inherited, which were long overdue for legislation and therefore have to be prioritized,” said Dr. Harris, while making reference to the Banking Act and other important issues. “And there are only so many things that can be done for a particular sitting of Parliament.”
The Prime Minister encouraged all to be patient and let the Government continue to fulfill the five year mandate, as it will do what it can in a reasonable manner on matters that are most pressing.