My article of March 20th,2014, was entitled ‘Terrorism?’
It began like this:
“Terrorism is the use of threats or violence to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
Section 2(1) (d) of the Anti-Terrorism Act of St. Kitts & Nevis defines a “terrorist act” as an act or threat of action in or outside of the Federation which involves prejudice to national security or public safety, and is deliberately, or by its nature and context, may reasonably be regarded as being:
intended to intimidate the public or a section of the public;
intended to compel a government or an international organization to do, or to refrain from doing, any act; and
made for the purpose of advancing a political, ideological, or religious cause.
Section 2 also defines “terrorist activity” as an action that takes place, whether within or outside of the Federation, which is taken or threatened for political, ideological, or religious purposes, and threatens the public or national security by:
killing;
seriously harming or endangering any person;
causing substantial property damage that is likely to seriously harm people; or
interfering with or disrupting an essential service, activity or system.”
That article was about the fires at the Venezuelan Embassy, the OAS Office, Lindsay Grant’s property at Bakers’ Corner and the Nevis Treasury and Inland Revenue Building.
I had expressed concern about all four fires, but most especially the one in Nevis. Because if that was arson, it certainly would, in my opinion, also have been an act of terrorism.
There were things about it that really troubled me, and still trouble me.
Firstly, it happened on January 17th, 2014, just five days short of the first anniversary of the CCM victory in the Nevis Island Elections of January 22nd, 2013. And if one wants to be cynical one can say that it probably was not a coincidence and that perhaps the terrorist(s) wanted to give the CCM and the people of Nevis an anniversary ‘gift’.
Secondly, the anniversary ‘gift’ would not have been just any old and ordinary fire, but instead a massive fire set to a building which represents and symbolizes the heart and soul of the Nevis financial system and economy.
I wondered quietly and nervously. If this was in fact terrorism, then what next? A school? A police station or fire station? NEVLEC? The Water Department? A church? A hospital or clinic?
Or some other heinous act intended to undermine the Administration, demoralize and intimidate the populace , and destabilize Nevis and, by extension, St. Kitts?
With the kind of people we have in our business these days, I wouldn’t put anything past them!
But suspicious as I was, what came next still surprised me.
I know that a lot of pressure has been steadily applied against the CCM Administration, and that it has been functioning with little or no assistance from the Federal Government.
Yet the Administration seems to have been able to pay its workers and generally to keep the ship afloat, with understandings between it and its bankers and other trade partners.
However, yesterday the country was shocked by the announcement that the National Bank would not provide funding to pay the April salaries and wages for Nevisian public sector workers, despite an alleged ongoing arrangement between the Administration and the Bank.
The question is: If there was indeed such an arrangement, and if the NIA was acting in compliance with its obligations under the arrangement, then why did the Bank do what it did? And why on such short notice?
Did a person or persons decide to implement a strategy that would bring the NIA to its knees and, in the process, rile up Nevisians to call for secession and to call on the CCM to abandon the UNITY Ship?
Was the Bank used as a political tool? It wouldn’t surprise me, given its history and present situation.
Meanwhile, eighteen hundred public servants were deprived of their salaries and wages yesterday, many of them were a number of NRP supporters. But you can rest assured that while these people have been made to suffer, a goodly number of NRP bigwigs and operatives are getting their money, under the auspices of their boss, Denzil Douglas.
Most importantly, was this too an act of terrorism?
I leave you to ponder on this, and to come to your own conclusions.
I also leave you to wonder what will be next.
Watch your back….and your front too!
And don’t take any more crap from these damned terrorists.
