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Posted: Tuesday 29 July, 2014 at 11:11 AM

Harris questions Land for Debt processes

The Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris
By: Terresa McCall, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – UNITY Leader the Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris is again accusing Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas of conducting the affairs of the country with a lack of transparency, this time however, he made specific reference to the “Land for Debt Swap” arrangement.

     

    In September 2012, amid widespread disapproval, outcry and controversy, the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank (Vesting of Certain Lands) Bill 2012 was passed in Parliament giving the government the authority to transfer 1200 acres of land to the Bank which was to be sold for the settlement of some of the government’s debt.

     

    A company - The Special Land Sales Company (St. Kitts) Limited – was created to sell the land and according to a CUOPM press release http://www.sknvibes.com/news/newsdetails.cfm/86385  it “officially started its work as on 19th June 2013”.

     

    At his most-recent press conference – close to two years after the bill was passed - Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas said as far as he is aware, none of the land has been sold and a request has been made for the proper surveying of the lands before sale can be pursued.

     

    According to Dr. Harris the land for debt swap was touted as being a critical component in the restructuring of the Federation’s debt, yet specific pieces of important information about the entire arrangement are not forthcoming.

     

    “So when one asked about the status, his response is ‘why is that important?’. It is important because we were told that was a necessary component if we were to get ourselves out of the debt quagmire that he has brought to that led us into the arms of the IMF. And it still begs the question, if as he said that the Land for Debt Swap has been set up - that is the entity has been set up - who are the people, are these people in anyway affected in terms of having interests which are competing? We don’t know; and we don’t know what part of the public monies is being put into this particular entity and what the results are to date.”

     

    Dr. Harris said the public has a right to be informed of exactly what is taking place, when as who are the key placers in these processes. 

     

    “Having regard to expressed critical fear of this particular matter, having regard to the struggles which the Nevis Island Administration had been put through with respect to National Bank over the seeding of lands to the bank, the public has a right to know what is happening there. What has been the cost…what has been the result, who are the persons acquiring these lands? Because we were told largely the land is ours, the land is not going anywhere. But if the land ends up in foreign ownership, will we still hear it does belong to us? And so we have critical challenges in respect to a limited resource which we have…”

     

    The Unity Leader pledged that if a Unity administration is formed, the Land for Debt Swap Bill would be repealed.

     

    “The same way we have a problem with transparency with the SIDF with the citizenship programme, there is also that problem in terms of what is happening with our lands. Who are getting their hands on them and at what price? We Allen Stanford could have gotten prime land at US$0.25 per square foot. What are the other players getting our lands for and with whose authorization? 

     

    “We have said that we will repeal that particular act and therefore, we put on notice anyone who is making any commitment in relation to those lands that were part and parcel of the National Bank Certain Lands Acquisition Act that the incoming Unity administration will review that. We find that to be offensive and we will do all in our power to remedy the situation and to ensure that the lands remain with our people, that our people are not separated from their patrimony.”

     

     
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