BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - TEAM Unity - this morning (Feb. 17) - launched its second peaceful protest in five days, today’s being held just outside the main branch of the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank in Basseterre.
Several Team Unity members and followers converged along the Central and West Independence Square Streets - in vicinity of the bank - bearing their usual placards signaling their view that the Motion of No Confidence should be tabled expeditiously.
The first such protest took place on Friday just outside the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank where a Meeting of the Monetary Council was being held.
Team Unity member Jonel Powell told SKNVibes that it was decided to demonstrate outside the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank because it is the place of employment of the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Hon. Curtis Martin.
“We are are here demonstrating for democracy in this country. We are here outside of the National Bank because there is where the Speaker of the National Assembly is at this present time, he is an employee of the Bank and we are here telling him that he needs to do the right thing and to call the Motion of No Confidence and to have it tabled and debated now.
“It’s been 14 months that he’s had this thing delayed. We have a judgment from the court saying that he and he alone is responsible to have that motion tabled and debated. His parliamentary colleagues on the government side have all thrown him under the bus by declaring victory in the case because they have been removed from the case as parties and he alone has been left to face the people of this country. And we want him to decide whether hs is a man or wimp.”
Lindsay Grant - another Team Unity member - also expressed his expectation that the Speaker of the House would “do the right thing” and table the motion expeditiously.
"We are here to urge him this morning to do the right thing and if it takes being here every single day of the week, we will be here to ensure that democracy prevails in St. Kitts and Nevis.”
He said the current situation is one that is being observed by the regional community and that it sets a “bad precedent” for St. Kitts and Nevis and the wider community.
Leader of Team Unity, the Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris also spoke to this publication explaining that his group was demonstrating for “democracy, good governance and to bring relevancy to our National Assembly”.
He expressed that especially because “every argument that the government has put forward against the tabling of the Motion of No Confidence was confronted by the judge and found wanting”, the MoNC should be tabled as a matter of urgency.
SKNVibes understands that the picketers left the area at about 9:45 a.m. and made their way to Cayon Street east where they remained for an approximate half hour before dispersing.
Some of the picketers placards read: “Speaker do de right ting”, “Govt is illegal”, “No democracy no peace”, “Speaker will see no peace”, “Call De Motion”, “Time for a Good Leader” and “Doctor u dun”.
