ABSOLUTELY NO VICTIMISATION IN A NEW PAM ADMINISTRATION SAYS RICHARDS

Basseterre, St.Kitts (March 25th 2012):- Deputy Political Leader of the St.Kitts main opposition party the People’s Action Movement Hon. Shawn K Richards, has reiterated his party’s policy of absolutely no victimization. This declaration was made during an interview on the popular night-time talk show the “DuPont Experience” with host social activist Carlton “Licky Bird” Dupont.

“Any new administration of the People’s Action Movement of which I am a part will not engage in any sort of victimization. This country has seen enough of this practice in the past up to today. The development of our country requires the efforts of all of our citizens and not just some thus we will be doing our country a serious disservice by engaging in this practice that has caused so much despair and division over the years. It is a shame that in 2012 we see this happening where supporters of the opposition are targeted and victimized. I want to say categorically that no one will be victimized under a new PAM administration,” said the two term Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher 5.

Richards however indicated his administration will be paying close attention to the productivity of everyone in the civil service. He stated that although his party will not engage in any sort of victimization it is expected that civil servants, in particular, will have to produce and not expect to be paid for zero productivity

“Whether it be supporters of my party or supporters of the other party civil servants can be rest assured that once they are doing their jobs and producing and contributing to the overall development of the country they will have no need to worry about their job security. However the fact that we will not engage in victimization or sending home persons just because they do not support our party does not mean that persons will be allowed to just sit down and do absolutely nothing and collect a pay check at the end of the month,” said Richards

Over the last 17 years and in particular since the last general elections a growing number of accusations of rampant victimization has been leveled against the Labour and NRP administrations with many civil servants as well as NE workers have been forced to take early retirements or simply just sent home through lay-offs. Upon taking office in 1995 the labour administration sent home scores including civil servants and workers at a number of statutory institutions including the Port Authority and Cemaco.