BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE newly-elected Leader of the People's Action Movement (PAM), Hon. Shawn K. Richards, has announced his intentions to stage a second protest, but this time the focus would be on the Prime Minister's push to increase the number of Senators in Parliament.
Addressing over a thousand protesters on Bank Street Thursday evening (Nov. 22) following a protest march against the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank (Vesting in Certain Lands) Bill, Richards announced that on December 6 the PAM would be marching through the streets of Basseterre once again.
Richards said the march would be geared towards the disapproval in the Senators (Increasing of Number) Bill, 2012, which he declared would not be accepted by the Opposition.
"Yesterday (Nov. 21), he [Prime Minister Douglas] came to Parliament to try to add even more Senators to increase his stronghold on this country. Yesterday in Parliament we said to him that we will not support any such move to increase the number of Senators in this country and he was forced to retreat. Tonight I say to you that he intends to go back to Parliament on December 7.
"Well, two weeks from now is December 6 and tell him that come December 6 we are going to stage a next protest in this country and so I want you to get ready. We are going to protest again about our lands and we are going to protest against any attempt to increase Senators in this country," Richards said while addressing the protestors.
The PAM’s Leader went on to tell the crowd that Federal Government could not find the funds to contend with a number of issues plaguing the country, including giving civil servants an increase, fill potholes in the roads and revamp the JNF General Hospital, but "he can find money to add three Senators to the Parliament of the country, and so to him we must say no".
He said the march would be in protest against the Land Bill as well as the Increase in Senators Bill and encouraged all to join the protest and send a message that these Bills would not be accepted.
Richards said that that is the main reason for the protest, but that they are also protesting their dissatisfaction with the overall performance of the Labour government, noting that there are persons who have other concerns and they too are invited to join in the protest.
