PAM WEEKLY POLITICAL BROADCAST                                          

Fellow Kittitians and Nevisians, Residents and Friends:

There are signs that tell you when a long-entrenched, autocratic, and self-serving leader knows that change is imminent; and that his days in office are numbered.

The wind of change is bearing down upon us and we have been witnessing a number of those signs here in St. Kitts and Nevis.

The Prime Minister knows that the wind of change is about to toll the bell that will signal the end of the Denzil Douglas regime.

The classical symptoms are present.

The attempt to rig the election by subversion of the process, by voter padding and by gerrymandering constituency boundaries is part of the pattern.

The secretly acquired property in Florida, in readiness for the time of flight on losing power, is also a reliable indicator.
The flurry of activity in long neglected areas is another sign.

Empty talk about integrity in public life and codes of official conduct is a tell-tale sign when maximum leaders in our part of the world know that their days in power are numbered.

It is too late for Prime Minister Douglas to focus on the integrity legislation which he tabled in Parliament twelve years ago; then promptly abandoned.

Had integrity legislation and prevention of corruption legislation been enacted, the Denzil Douglas regime would not have been able to dish out the untold millions that have routinely gone to the Prime Minister’s connections in massive “No Bid” contracts and massive land giveaways.

Had integrity legislation and prevention of corruption legislation been on the books in St. Kitts and Nevis, we would have long ago have forced the Prime Minister to remove the veil of secrecy surrounding his transfer of close to 400 acres of state land at Kittitian Heights to Belmont Resorts and the owners of that firm.

Had integrity legislation and prevention of corruption legislation been enacted, we would already have extracted the lowdown on all those No Bid deals involving PROTEC.

The bizarre events - known and unknown - surrounding La Valle, would have been a prime subject for investigation if Dr. Douglas had kept his word and his party’s 1995 manifesto pledge to introduce integrity legislation.

La Valle, and the expenditure of public funds on that stillborn adventure, is a prime subject for forensic investigation.
That is another compelling reason for a change of leadership in St. Kitts.

Had integrity legislation and prevention of corruption legislation been in place, Dr. Douglas would by now have been required to give sworn testimony regarding the means by which he has been able to acquire additional properties numbering as many years as he has occupied the Prime Minister’s office.

Never mind the placement of property in the name of his children’s mother, Dr. Douglas retains and exercises legal and effective control of all such assets.

Fellow Kittitians and Nevisians:
Recent comments by the Prime Minister suggest that he is about to focus on integrity legislation.

We take those comments for exactly what they are worth.

They are worth as little in 2008 as they were in 1995.

It’s hard for old dogs to learn new tricks.

Despite recent pressures from external sources, Dr. Douglas is not likely to push through integrity legislation when his removal from office is staring him in the face.

Our Prime Minister is genetically incapable of transparency and accountability in his conduct of the country’s business.
In contrast to the Prime Minister, in 2004, I voluntarily put my assets and those of my wife and children up for public scrutiny.

I pledged then, and I now affirm, that with a PAM government in office, integrity in public life legislation will be in place in short order.

That legislation will establish an Integrity Commission, to which designated holders of public office will be required to declare their assets on an annual basis.

Under the legislation, office holders will have to justify wealth which is not in line with their known income.
Other CARICOM countries have such legislation on their books.

Right next door, within seven months of its election, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda introduced and enacted an Integrity in Public Life Act; a Prevention of Corruption Act; and a Freedom of Information Act.

You must call on our Prime Minister to explain how a neighbouring OECS government, elected less than four years ago, was able to introduce integrity legislation more than three years ago, in contrast to his own impotence in taking steps to clean up his government. 

We must ask ‘Douggie’ the question; even if we already know the answer.

Fellow Kittitians and Nevisians; Residents; Friends:

Prime Minister Douglas has made assertions which can only be taken to mean that he sees himself as Prime Minister for life.
When leaders begin to think like that they are dangers to society.
It means that they are in total disconnect from reality.
It is time to remove them.
It is time to change the Prime Minister.
It is time to change the government.
The wind of change is sweeping down on St. Kitts.
The handwriting is on the wall.
The government will fall.
Together, we can make it happen.
Let’s get ready to vote them out.
Thank you for tuning in.
May God bless you and your loved ones.
May God bless St. Kitts and Nevis.