Sam Condor brings down the House on Dubai issue

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Dubai Consulate issue which has panned out before the eyes of St. Kitts-Nevis has left an unsavoury taste in the mouth of many, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Sam Condor.
 
Standing before his fellow Parliamentarians in the House of Assembly yesterday (Mar. 29), Condor expressed, “The record must show Mr. Speaker, that I take great offence to the manner in which this whole episode is being played out. It is disrespectful, out of order and unpardonable.”
 
A couple of weeks ago, a three-member team travelled to Dubai – on behalf of St. Kitts-Nevis – to finalise plans for the establishment of a consulate there. The team comprised Alex Woodley, Consul General-designate and mother of the children of Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas; Elvis Newton, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Astona Browne, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister.
 
Many became uneasy, especially after misgivings were unearthed, when Condor indicated that he had very little knowledge of these plans.
 
Condor spelt out his feelings about the matter before the House and outlined the procedure and protocol to be followed in the establishment of a consulate or an embassy. These, he suggested, were not adhered to.
 
“In the first place, this is a function of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and as such, the Cabinet Submission for the establishment of the office must emanate from the Foreign Affairs Ministry. A decision to establish a Consulate/Embassy can originate from Cabinet, the implementation and operational functions however must be undertaken by the line Ministry; in this case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 
“I say to the country through this Honourable House that since assuming the portfolio as Minister of Foreign Affairs in February 2010, I have not had discussions or presentation either at Estimate Committee Meeting, Cabinet Meeting or Budget Debate regarding the establishment of the said Consulate.”
 
The Foreign Affairs Minister said he was made aware of the proposed opening of a Dubai consulate through public discussion and immediately tasked his Permanent Secretary, Newton, with investigating and reporting back to him.
 
He also said it was on March 13 that he received written communication from Newton – dated March 12th - indicating that the delegation was to leave the following day “to ‘finalise arrangements’ to establish a consulate in Dubai”.
 
Dr. Douglas has since indicated – via his radio programme Ask the PM - that Woodley was appointed Consul General-designate.
 
Nonetheless, according to Condor, such decisions should not be made without proper consultation with him as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Not only was he deprived of his duty to “to appraise the country of this significant and costly undertaking”, but, as he explained, the way in which the situation was handled acts as a tool of division and contention and reeks of disrespect.
 
“We must, Mr. Speaker, at all times insist on making this process as transparent as possible while we endeavour to give equal opportunity to qualified candidates. It is no surprise Mr. Speaker that this matter has caused such consternation and disagreement. For however one may wish to view this matter, it certainly does not speak to good communications, adherence to proper procedure nor to good governance.”
 
“…In the final analysis, Mr. Speaker, ‘Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds, sound leadership has a moral foundation’ Proverbs 16:12…
 
“The question must be asked, whether or not the lack of openness and adherence to proper protocols and procedure, or the total disrespect shown to the Ministry with responsibility speaks to an act of divisiveness or whether the behaviour demonstrated throughout speaks to unity and goodwill amongst colleagues and comrades.”

Dr. Douglas – in response to Condor’s personal explanation – noted in the House that the matter was already dealt with in Cabinet.