Government to seek Dr. Douglas’ removal from Parliament
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE allegation of the issuance of a diplomatic Dominican passport to the Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, has reached new heights.
Unlike his previous statement, in which he said Dr. Denzil Douglas is a citizen of another country other than St. Kitts and Nevis and that he holds a diplomatic passport of another country, Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris was definitive in his statement on Wednesday (Oct. 25) at his monthly press conference by making public the name of the country that issued the passport.
“In keeping with its pledge to the people of the Federation, the Government continues to investigate circumstances surrounding the issuance of a diplomatic Dominican passport to the Leader of the Opposition and the potential consequences to both the Federal interest of St. Kitts and Nevis and, of course, the best interest of the people of our beloved Federation.
“The investigation has revealed that Dr. Denzil Douglas, Leader of the Opposition, has a diplomatic passport – DP0000462 – issued by the Government of Dominica on the 30th of July 2015 and bearing the expiry date of the 29th February 2020. The said passport has listed his nationality as Dominican,” Dr. Harris said.
Dr. Harris also said that Dr. Douglas had used the diplomatic passport on several of his foreign trips in the Caribbean and beyond.
He pointed out that since his press conference on Tuesday (Oct. 3) when he made public the issue of eligibility of persons to participate in general or by-elections and serve as Members of Parliament, the matter had surfaced in Jamaica and Australia, and that it continues to be a hot topic in the Federation, which “will not disappear by the vain efforts of the election losers to create and manufacture fake news of their own liking”.
Dr. Harris emphatically stated that the people of the Federation are calling upon Dr. Douglas to tell the truth of his standing with the Government of Dominica.
He also asked, “Is he a paid diplomat? And if yes, how much is he being paid and how many visits, if any, has he accompanied officials of Dominica or represented the government of Dominica? Will Douglas put personal avarice and self-interest above his duty as a Member of Parliament and as the Leader of the Opposition of St. Kitts and Nevis? Has he been promoting, marketing and soliciting development projects on behalf of Dominica and any other country for that matter at the expense of St. Kitts and Nevis, the country that he is pining to lead again? Has he offered the data base of our Citizenship by Investment programme to any other country? Does he have an ordinary or official diplomatic passport to any other country than those that are now in the public domain?”
He noted they are all questions that are pertinent to the discourse as to “where we go as a country and a parliamentary democracy, and to beg of answers which Leader of the Opposition must feel obliged to present truthfully”.
The country’s Political Leader stated that the qualifications required of those elected to sit in the National Assembly are constitutionally entrenched and intended to prevent any actual or perceived conflicts of interest arising from divided loyalties.
This provision, he added, is intended to protect the people as electors and the country from a person who may be in service to two masters.
PM Harris said he had deduced that there is a prevailing view that Dr. Douglas is a convicted being. “He is hysterical vituperations against our country, its CBI Programme, and service offerings are not coming from a heart of love or patriotism. Many persons have pointed to the bitterness and perceived vendetta in several pronouncement by Dr. Douglas,” he added.
He proclaimed that his administration had sought legal advice on the matter.
“Having regard to the foregoing evidential matrix and more, and in pursuit of the public interest, and I dare say its duty, the Government has sought a legal opinion and the results of the investigation so far.”
He also said that some legal considerations are germane to the public discussion and the Government would try to promote it in an informed way.
Referencing the Federation’s Constitution, Dr. Harris said: “I want, for example, to refer to Section 28 of the Constitution, the supreme law of the land. That Section provides that a person shall not be qualified to be elected as a Representative of the National Assembly if he or she is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.
“This constitutionally-entrenched qualification has been further codified by the National Assembly’s Act, the Act of Parliament passed pursuant to the constitutional grant of power to our Parliament. In 2009, the said Dr. Denzil Douglas had twice amended the National Assembly Elections Act to prevent the nomination and election to Parliament of persons in allegiance, to obedience and adherence to another state or power. So serious did Dr. Douglas pursue the matter that he passed the National Assembly Elections (Amendment) Act 2009. That one was Number 16. He went back again to ensure he has achieved his aim. He further clarified and refined it by Act Number 17 of 2009. This one styled National Assembly Elections (Amendment) Number 2 of 2009.
“The mouthpiece of the Douglas Labour Party, the Labour Spokesman, then raising the challenge, the eligibility of the Hon. Shawn Richards and Lindsay Grant to become Members of our Parliament. Indeed, the Hon. Eugene Hamilton was taken to court by the Douglas regime over holding not an American passport, but what turned out to be a green card. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent to satisfy the Machiavellian passion of the day.”
He lamented that it is tragic that Dr. Denzil Douglas, who led the fight against others, could now have entangled himself in issues of eligibility to serve in the People’s Parliament.
Dr. Harris posited that the qualification of Representatives in the National Assembly is not to be taken lightly, since that august body is a place where elected members represent constituents’ views, discuss national issues and call on the Government to explain its actions.
“The question to be asked is this: Has the National Assembly of St. Kitts and Nevis not been tainted by the Leader of the Opposition, who as a holder of a Dominican Diplomatic passport prima facie, one - pledges allegiance to Dominica, a foreign power or state; two - advances Dominica’s interests; thirdly, clearly has divided loyalties between this Federation and Dominica, and as a result undermines the interests of St. Kitts and Nevis, his native land?
“That question, again, is one which the Leader of the Opposition must answer,” PM Harris said.
He also said that there is a serious legal question as to whether or not the Leader of the Opposition is qualified to be a Representative in the National Assembly.
“In my view, the people of St. Kitts and Nevis deserve better from their elected leaders. They deserve to have their views represented and they deserve a Parliament that works indisputably and resolutely to advance the interests of the Federation and the Federation alone.”
Dr. Harris informed the nation that in order to protect the interests of the Federation and its loyal people, the Government is in the process of finalizing an application to the High Court seeking declarations that the Leader of the Opposition is no longer eligible to continue sitting as a Representative in the National Assembly, and that he should accordingly be required to vacate his seat.
