BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - PERMISSION was not granted for Fort Street to be blocked during the launch of Team Unity’s Campaign Headquarters this evening (June 25), but the insistence of Unity supporters resulted in the road being blocked and police officers assisting with the process.
Yesterday, Team Unity’s Leader the Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris had complained that the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force had not given them the required permission and, in its refusal, the authorities were engaged in an act of discrimination against Team Unity by making an attempt to thwart the hosting of the event and were in breach of the political entity’s constitutional rights.
When SKNVibes arrived on Fort Street shortly after 5:30 p.m., it was observed that persons, who appeared to be supporters of Team Unity, had taken it upon themselves to stand in the middle of the road at the junction of Fort and Central Streets and divert vehicular traffic from going northward along Fort Street.
A lone female police officer arrived on the scene driving a squad car and, after bypassing the self-appointed traffic wardens, she exited the vehicle and appeared to be making a telephone call.
She appeared to have been engaged in conversation with the individuals and shortly thereafter another vehicle (a rental) arrived from which emerged a number of officers, two of whom were dressed in camouflage fatigue and carried assault rifles.
And still the Unity supporters stood their ground, with the police vehicle aback of them, effectively blocking access to the upper portion of Fort Street.
Eventually, a third vehicle arrived in the area carrying several armed officers. And with at least one other officer at the junction of Fort and Central Streets, who appeared to be restricting access to upper Fort Street, the Unity supporters made their way to participate in the ceremony to mark the official opening of the Team’s Campaign Headquarters.
Following the event, Dr. Harris was questioned about the road blockage issue and he said the police’s refusal to grant permission did not make sense in the first place.
“Look what in effect happened! It shows you the nonsense of the thinking...How are you going to tell a political entity keep your meeting basically on the sidewalk. It doesn’t make sense! How are you going to open a building and go inside to open it?
“So the nonsense of what they were proposing, I think people of all walks of life were astounded by the fact that they would stoop so low, especially after giving Marcella the right to block a two-way street, to put up a stage and to have a band. Is this not dictatorship?”
He said it also demonstrates that Team Unity has the support of the people.
“Team Unity has consistently said that we have the majority support of people and any event at which we have required our people to come out, the people have not let us down. What would have been an ordinary day, because of the political interference, became an extraordinarily successful day for us today with scores. Over 1 000 people came out to witness the opening of our office and more were listening via radio....”
