BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FORMER Senior Minister Dr. Timothy Harris said the Federation is at the point where its people must give serious consideration to the idea of installing a unity government, especially since the one-party government system seems to be failing.
“I have no objection to a unity government. Given where the country it at now, we need the unified approach to the development of the country. We need to have a clear vision as to what the new governance agenda will be and we’ll have to get consensus across political parties and across institutions,” Harris expressed during a recent interview with SKNVibes.
He explained that a unity government would require understanding and togetherness as well as agreement amongst all “that for the good of a country certain things have to happen, and therefore we can’t leave it to the whims and fancies of any one political party government that is seeking advantage for itself. And therefore the agenda has to be one that is collectively inspiring the people.
“If you have all people, all agents sitting down around the table agreeing to A, B, C, agreeing, for example, to term limits for prime ministers, agreeing that we would enforce the strictest laws to prevent victimisation against anybody in the country so that they can speak freely and make their contribution without the threat of a loss over their head, that would be good for our country.”
Dr. Harris said in order for a unity government to move forward and to pave the way for better governance in the Federation, all parties involved must commit to the passage of certain pieces of legislation, including the Freedom of Information Act, and have it done in such a way that “each time a political party gets in it doesn’t change the laws unilaterally on these fundamental issues for its own convenience”.
Prime Minister Douglas, during the last sitting of the Federal Parliament, dismissed the notion of a unity government, noting that some people’s agenda has changed from that of a Labour Government to that of a government of unity.
And Dr. Harris’ suggestion is that while Prime Minister Douglas might not verbally agree with the idea of a government of unity, his collisional actions – since the early 80s – suggest otherwise. He however explained that in this regard, Prime Minister Douglas is an opportunist and convenience.
“So, yes there are advantages to having a broad-based government; there are in fact significant advantages. And indeed, while Dr. Douglas criticises that, Dr. Douglas went to NRP to be part of his government. The NRP government, from 1980 to 1995, had been an ardent opponent of the Labour Party in St. Kitts and Nevis. But when it suits Dr. Douglas’ convenience, he seeks allies until he thinks they are of no further value. So he is in a convenient relationship with the Nevis Reformation Party. That is what it is...just to preserve himself in power. He never needed them when he had eight seats, when he had seven seats, but when he recognised at the last election that he was slipping in the polls, he reached out to the NRP to get some coverage.
“But Dr. Douglas is not about dealing with these issues in a forthright way. And that is why we could understand that he expressed such fear in the Parliament and spent much time at the notion of a unity government – which he said can’t happen and is a figment of his imagination. Well, if it is a figment of his imagination, why is he spending so much of our precious time to talk about a fictitious thing when there are so many other issues (including) high unemployment (and) one of the highest national debt in the region?”
While Dr. Harris did not indicate whether or not he would join or support a unity government, he said the nation – of necessity – should consider that system of government.
