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| Selwyn "Rusty" Liburd, (taking photo at right) is General Secretary of the opposition People's Action Movement (PAM) and reporter for the Democrat, its official mouthpiece, is a regular attendant at the Prime Minister's Press Conferences |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MARCH 1ST 2006 - St. Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas said Tuesday that he is proud of his governing St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Administration's track record with regard to the level of consultation, transparency and accountability when dealing with matters of the State.
"Maybe we may be guilty that we have not come as often as we really should, but I can say that there is nothing to match what we have been doing in those areas of accountability, transparency and consultation when it comes to the sharing of government information and the practice of good governance under this St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party Administration," the Prime Minister said at a Press Conference on Tuesday, the second in as many weeks.
He told reporters that St. Kitts and Nevis, like other Caribbean nations "has been challenged by a number of external and national shocks, some of which has been natural disasters, others have been as a result of the global trends which affect our own country St. Kitts and Nevis."
"I believe that I have been given a mandate however to manage the affairs of the country and what I am seeking to do really, is to put the country's finances on a sound footing but of course there are some people who seem to have problem with the attempt of the Government to address the financial challenges that we are facing as a nation," said the Prime Minister.
Since taking office, the Douglas Administration has met frequently with non-governmental organisations including the St. Kitts-Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the taxi and bus associations, trade unions, women's organisations, church and youth groups and other professional and civic bodies and individuals.
The Labour Party Administration also instituted a policy where draft legislation going to the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly are given a first reading and then a few months are allowed for individuals and interest groups to comment or make suggestions to the relevant Ministry of Department of Legal Affairs, before the Second and Third Readings and final passage.
Town Hall Meetings at home and in areas overseas, where there is a high concentration of nationals, are held frequently and the Prime Minister's Press Conference is looked forward to by the nationals.
Media houses in St. Kitts and Nevis and persons close to the former People's Action Movement said they cannot recall the holding of press conferences and frequent consultation with non-governmental organisations or groups "and if there were any they can be counted on one hand."
