BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, November 24th 2009 (PAM Secretariat) - Leader of the People’s Action Movement (PAM) Lindsay Grant has made a stinging accusation against the Federation’s Prime Minister, Dr. Denzil Douglas, accusing him and his administration of acting like vultures, picking at the flesh of a dying nation.
Grant said that his observation of this action has been further confirmed by the conduct of the PM and his allies over the past several weeks and, more recently, during the current ongoing court battle. As a point of reference, he claimed that what he sees is a wanton abuse of the Federation’s finances.
He also made a passionate appeal to all for civil obedience and for the various constituencies in the Federation to mobilize and commence their own struggles in a serious bid to rid the Federation urgently and immediately of the injustices being perpetrated against society by the Douglas-led administration.
Grant assured that neither he nor his party has intentions of retracting, noting that they would continue to execute their house-to-house visits in an effort to ensure all are made aware of what is happening. He also declared that his party is contemplating preparing a petition that would be taken to several international organizations such as the United Nations of which St. Kitts and Nevis is a signatory to many of its conventions
Grant said of the 15-year Denzil Douglas’ rule “and in particular the years 1995 to 2009, Kittitians and Nevisisians must seriously ask the question, how much better off are we as a people while we see the Prime Minister owning some 15-odd properties, thus he being able to claim that it’s working while the ordinary man and woman are hurting”.
The PAM Leader said there is no country that is going to create wealth if its leaders “exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or if civil servants can be bought off by its leaders who are known to be involved in questionable deals and acts”.
He noted that no business would want to invest in a place where there is widespread corruption, citing a recent US advisory to the citizens of the United States of America which warned its people and others to desist from investing and or conducting business in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“This is certainly a sign that not only the local and regional communities are aware of what is happening, but also the international community is cognizant of the corrupt practices and bad governance of Dr. Douglas and his team. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery while for the past 15 years we have not been able to see law and order working,” Grant warned.
According to Grant, who will be contesting the Parliamentary Seat of Number Four, his current struggle in the Federation is in his capacity as a citizen who has and still continues to contribute significantly to the social and economical sectors and that 15 years is a more than significantly adequate marking period to determine the effectiveness of the Labour Party’s management of the country’s resources.
“The scorecard shows embarrassing failure, particularly from 2000 to present. In the education system, those with parochial custody would not allow their charge a term or two of failure without instituting corrective measures to halt their decline…Appropriate measures would be taken, for without remedial action failure becomes the defining characteristic and is coupled alongside lost opportunities,” the PAM Leader stressed.
Grant questioned, “What we as a people would do in light of a failing state and an immoral, lawless government that continues to see the Prime Minister publicly claiming that he is 10 man in one and has demonstrated it is prepared to have relationships with known questionable characters; a government that is prepared to transgress the constitution; disrespect the court and its orders, discriminate and victimized because of one’s political; conviction?”
According to Grant, the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis has had a proud history of struggle from the era of chattel slavery to independence status and, “as a people, we have struggled against previous regimes, from colonial to local…By comparison these look like angels to what we currently face”.
The PAM Leader posited that what has changed in the Federation from 1995 to now is “our will to resist, unifying against oppressive forces, and recognizing that the enemy of the PAM man is also the enemy of the Labour man, the CCM, NRP and all others in St. Kitts and Nevis”.
