BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – PRIME MINISTER of St. Kitts and Nevis the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas claims that swift action would have been taken in the payment of salaries to public servants on Nevis if he were alerted earlier.
“I sincerely wish that Premier Amory had alerted me earlier to the real difficulty that his Administration was experiencing regarding payment of salaries to public servants on time. Had he done this, and as he had done on earlier occasions when crises just as severe were being faced, I have always responded with openness, understanding and with swift action. And that is a matter of record.”
Dr. Douglas made this statement, among others, on Friday (Apr. 25) while he was a guest on Freedom FM’s programme ‘Good Morning St. Kitts and Nevis’ with Maurice ‘EK’ Flanders.
He was at the time addressing the non-payment of April salaries to Nevis’ public servants.
PM gives assurance
PM Douglas reiterated his response to a question asked by a media representative at his monthly press conference held on Wednesday (Apr. 23).
“At the Prime Minister’s Monthly Press Conference on Wednesday, a member of the media sought the comment on the inability of the Nevis Island Administration to meet certain responsibilities. I explained in response that Premier Amory had formally personally contacted me on this matter only on that morning when the question was being asked, and that I assured him that I would do everything in my power to assist the public servants in Nevis and, of course, the people of Nevis and indeed the Nevis Island Administration itself, as I have in the past. And so I am once again making this point abundantly clear not only to the people of Nevis, but indeed to the Federation at large.
The Constitution
Constitutionally speaking, Dr. Douglas declared that his Administration is not responsible for the payment of salaries to the public servants on Nevis, but as the Political Leader of the Federation he had promised Premier Amory that he would render assistance.
“Under our Constitution, the Nevis Island Administration is responsible for the payroll of public servants in Nevis; that is the payment of their salaries, their wages and their pensions. And the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The Federal Government is not responsible for the payment of salaries, wages and pensions of the public servants in Nevis. Both as Prime Minister and as a national of our Federation however, I note that we are one people, and it is this oneness that caused me to commit to Premier Amory on Wednesday, the very same day that payments were to be made, that I would do all in my power to assist, as I have in the past and will in the future, again. And this is the way I have always functioned as the Prime Minister of the Federation.”
Strengthening of bonds
Touching on the rights of Nevisians to determine their future, the PM said he is aware of those who were advocating for secession but his aim is to strengthen the bonds between St. Kitts and Nevis, adding that evidence of his intention lies in making the Hon. Patrice Nisbett a member of the federal Cabinet.
“I am, for example, aware that there are those in Nevis who have long advocated secession, and I will always respect the right of Nevisians to determine their future. That, notwithstanding however, in order to promote the best possible relations between both islands and in an attempt to convey my sincerity in that regard, one of my earliest undertakings in becoming Prime Minister some 19 years ago was to establish a Federal Office in Charlestown. Indeed, again, in an attempt to strengthen the bonds between both islands, upon being elected to Office with a clear majority in the last election in 2010 January, my government immediately reached out to the people of Nevis…reached out to the Nevis Island Administration and invited the Hon. Patrice Nisbett to serve as a Member of the Federal Cabinet and has been given portfolios which are very senior in any cabinet across the world.
“We are, as I have said, one people. The joint Cabinet meetings that I initiated in order to strengthen bonds attest to this. My countless meetings with Nevisians of all stripes and colour, right here at Government Headquarters in St. Kitts, makes this very, very clear. And the warmth that Nevisians and I always share, when I am in Nevis or they are in St. Kitts, proves that the channel that divides us is simply a matter of geography.”
Support for Nevis people
Dr. Douglas stated that one week prior to Wednesday (Apr. 23), he was informed that the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) was experiencing some difficulties and he had promised to take steps in rectifying same, but he did not know of the direct consequences until the day of its occurrence.
“When I was in Nevis last week Wednesday, Colin Dore, who indicated then that he was the Acting Financial Secretary, indicated that he was experiencing some difficulties for the month of April. I asked him if he had communicated this to the Financial Secretary and he said he had done so. I know, and I said this to Premier Amory on Wednesday, that the Financial Secretary of St. Kitts had prepared a document which will be brought to the Cabinet on Monday for consideration, and I will do my best, as I have always done as the Chairman of the Federal Cabinet, to move my other colleagues in support of any assistance that we can provide to the people of Nevis. Regrettably, however, and for reasons I do not understand, I was informed of this crisis by Premier Amory on Wednesday, the very day when salaries were being collected, when people he said had gone to their bank accounts and had recognised that they could not retrieve their salaries.”
While fingers are pointing in his direction for the National Bank’s refusal to honour the cheques sent by the NIA, Dr. Douglas subliminally insinuated that members of that Administration did not make a forthright declaration on the financial issue.
“Just one week ago, for example, some 500 PEP workers in Nevis were expressing in great detail and enthusiasm the tremendous impact that PEP is having in their lives. Does this not dramatically underscore the importance of keeping lines of communication open?”
Inadequate sharing of resources
In an address to the people of Nevis on Thursday evening (Apr. 24), Premier Amory disclosed that this year the Federal Government had received nine million Euros (approximately EC$36M) from the European Union for budgetary assistance for the Federation, but none of those resources was transferred to the NIA, "even though it was intimated to me that those nine million Euros were to be for the support of the budget for the Federation which, and I remind all of us, comprises the Federal Government and the Nevis Island Administration, the Nevis Island Government".
In response, Dr. Douglas said: “I am obliged to point out that Premier Amory, in his statement last evening, misspoke on an important point - possibly because of the discomfort of the moment he was experiencing. The Premier made reference to what he perceived to be inadequate sharing of resources between St. Kitts and Nevis…the same old political bogey of the past. The Federal Government has been in a Sugar Adaptation Strategy Programme with the EU since the closure of the sugar industry in 2005, and the adaptation strategy was negotiated since 2006. As a result, funds identified for specific projects have been used specifically for those purposes. And, when specified, the people and public servants of both islands have been the beneficiaries.
“The last allocation under the EU’s Sugar Adaptation Strategy Programme however was specifically – and I stress, specifically – it is to be used for Federal budget support. Because the money has not yet been allocated and that is why I said that Premier Amory, because of the discomfort of the moment he spoke, he spoke about nine million Euros which will be received once all of the preconditions are met will be received by December 31, 2014. We are just in the month of April. No nine million Euros has been collected by this Federal Government and so it is the old bogey that money comes into this Federal Government is to be shared and it is not shared. This is not the situation! The Federal Government has not received no nine million Euros to be used for budget support; it has not received it! And so again I say, regrettably, that Premier Amory misspoke.”
The PM reiterated that he believes Amory misspoke because of the discomfort at the moment and that he does not think that the Premier intended to mislead. “I nonetheless thought it essential that I correct any misconception that has been given,” he added.
He also informed that Premier Amory told him that he was away and had only returned to Nevis the day before the bank turned away the public servants.
The Federation’s Political Leader stressed that he would remain true to his pledge and commitment to assist the people of Nevis because “they need support and assistance, and this is in keeping with all that I have stood for throughout my years as Prime Minister. And this is not about to change now, despite the usual blame game that is usually given to me and to us.
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