BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – HUNDREDS of men, women and children yesterday afternoon (Nov. 22) joined the People’s Action Movement (PAM) in a protest march against the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank (Vesting in Certain Lands) Bill, in which the Federal Government had decided to swap 1 200 acres of land for debt owed by the Federation.
With placards and national flags in hand, they marched through the streets of Basseterre not only for the Land Bill but also for a number of other reasons, including high electricity rates, lack of employment opportunities, discrepancies in governance and a change in government.
The march kicked off from Greenlands at 4:30 p.m. and travelled left across Cayon Street, right onto Church Street, left onto Central Street, right onto College Street Ghaut, left onto Liverpool Row, left up Fort Street, right onto Cayon Street, and right onto West Independence Square Street before coming to a halt on Bank Street, where a rally was held.
Shortly before the rally, hundreds of people had gathered on Bank Street awaiting the arrival of the marchers and to hear what messages the speakers had for them.
During the march a number of interesting, if not funny, placards were seen as persons demonstrated their disagreement with the lands swap Bill and described their feelings towards some of today's issues.
Some read: "Save our lands", "Electricity bills killing me", "keep your hands off our lands, that was not Bradshaw's plans", "Sandy Point needs room to grow", "Land swap for National Debt me donkey", "No absentee landlords again", "Our forefathers suffered because they were landless".
At the rally, members of the PAM as well as well known community personnel spoke, including PAM's Chairman Selwyn 'Rusty' Liburd, Operation Rescue’s member Richard Caines, former PAM’s Constituency Six Representative Junie 'Scrape' Hodge, Claudius 'Hardis' Gumbs, Clive Webster, Eustace Maynard, Attorney-at-Law Chesley Hamilton, Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Eight Hon. Eugene Hamilton and Leader of the PAM Hon. Shawn Richards.
Some spoke on the issue of the land-for-debt swap, while others voiced their disapproval on a number of other issues including the contamination at the Basseterre, High School, the high National Debt, Kittitian Hill, La Valley, the Integrity in Public Life Bill, the bill to increase senators among a host of other issues.
In his opening remarks, Liburd thanked the people for going out to the march and noted that among the supporters of his political party were members of Operation Rescue, supporters of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party as well as those of the Concerned Citizen’s Movement and the Nevis Reformation Party.
He predicted that general elections might be just around the corner due to the actions being taken by the Federation's Government, including the erection of billboards, the reintroduction of the Integrity in Public Life Bill and the mission to increase the number of Senators.
Liburd said if the Prime Minster, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, is given the opportunity to increase the number of Senators, the bell would be rung within the first quarter of 2013.
The Hon. Eugene Hamilton spoke at length about the land swap deal and the fact that the Hon. Marcella Liburd made statements about the opposition, stating that its members has not provided any solutions or alternatives to the National Debt.
He did however provide two alternatives and, when asked if he should reveal more, the crowd of protesters screamed "no!" to which he obliged and instead stated that if the government wanted more alternatives they should get out of office and let the PAM take over.
Speaking with Richards, he expressed his pleasure in seeing the large turnout and noted that he was equally pleased to see persons from the various political parties and even students.
“We had a very good turnout for our march today. Persons turned out from all the different Constituencies. Persons who support the various political parties turned out and supported our effort to save our lands. We saw school children, we saw young persons...we saw old persons. I specifically recall seeing a gentleman in the march limping with a stick, but he was marching. So, generally, I am quite happy and satisfied with our protest march today," he articulated.
Richards said the turnout signified the strength of the cause and it also demonstrated the country's readiness for change.
"It is the first step in sending a message to the Denzil Douglas administration that this land Act must be repealed and that the citizens of the country have had enough and they are ready for change," he said.
The protest and rally winded down with live entertainment by a number of local artistes, including Footsy.
