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Posted: Wednesday 21 January, 2015 at 6:48 PM

Cable clears air on unsigned press release

Calvin Cable
By: Stanford Conway, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of the St. Kitts-Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Calvin Cable, who is also the Secretary to the Civil Society Organisation, has cleared the air on the press release published by SKNVibes and a number of other media houses, which expressed the non-governmental organisation coalition’s concerns on what took place in Parliament last week Friday (Jan. 16).

     

    In an interview with Cable this morning (Jan. 21), this publication queried the authenticity of the press release and was told that it is genuine.

    “I have in my possession signed copies from all of the heads of those organisations which I listed on the press release. That is the Christian Council, the St. Kitts Evangelical Association, St. Kitts-Nevis Industry and Commerce and the St. Kitts Small Business Forum. All have presented signed copies after consultation with their various electorates.

    The press release, which this media house received on Monday (Jan. 19), stated that the Civil Society Organisation did not approve what transpired in the National House of Assembly during the emergency sitting on Friday, last.

    “The Civil Society organisations listed below listened with utter disgust to the abuse of the National Assembly perpetrated in its emergency sitting on the afternoon and evening of Friday 16th January 2015.  The refusal of the Speaker to allow members on the Opposition benches who wished to do so to speak on the motion to change the constituency boundaries was a biased attack on the democratic process and the Rule of Law and a deliberate insult to the inhabitants of the country represented by those members.”

    It also spoke to short notice given to Members of Parliament on the Opposition Benches, the speediness in which the proclamation was signed by the Governor-General and the immediate dissolution of the National Assembly.

     The four NGOs claimed that such actions “suggest an orchestrated plan to frustrate the rights of the Opposition Members to exercise their constitutional right to contest the changes of the boundaries proposed by the Government”.

    The release also stated: “The Civil Society organisations demand and expect that the process to elections following the dissolution of the National Assembly will proceed with full respect for the Rule of Law and the Constitution, with fairness in the electoral process and with dignity and decorum.”

    Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, in his response to the press release, said that he had ignored it and had extended an invitation to the organisations to re-circulate the document on a letterhead with affixed signatures, if they had indeed sanctioned it.

    “Many of you may have seen a document apparently circulating on the internet purporting to be from various civic organisations in response to last week’s Parliamentary vote. I note that the document has neither letterhead nor signatures and I choose to ignore it as should you. If any of the organisations listed did indeed authorise this however, I invite them to indicate this by circulating an official and signed document, signed statement on letterhead…”

    Dr. Douglas also said that he would accommodate “them in any discussion on this very important and long-overdue action; first by our Electoral Boundaries Commission and then by our country’s National Assembly”.

    The Prime Minister stressed that should the four NGOs accept his invitation, he would ask them to share their reactions to “the talk of death and killing on air by opposition candidates, funders and supporters and, most importantly, second, media outlets permitting these statements to be aired”.

    In continuation of his explanation on the press release, Cable said for over 10 years they have been disseminating releases without affixing signatures and “they had not been contested”.

    He pointed out that it was a regular practice and explained the main reason for the absence of the signatories.

    “This is the practice we have used for press releases of previous events that we have had of this type. As far as our letterhead goes, there is no letterhead that can embrace all organisations of civil society. Depending on the situation, some organisations’ heads or boards are not available and so cannot be included.

    “I guarantee the nation of St. Christopher and Nevis that all heads of all of those organisations, on behalf of their Boards and their organisations, have delivered signed copies approving that press release.”

    Cable further explained that sometimes societies differ on opinions and that releases on various topics and issues might not be of the same grouping, adding that using a letterhead might compromise some other member of the society. 

    The Civil Society Organisation Secretary stated that representatives of the four NGOs met on Saturday (Jan. 17) and held discussions, after which they went back to their various groupings to get confirmation for the release.

    He also stated that on completion of that process the press release was drafted and disseminated on the following evening but they could not have reached the Nevis Evangelical Association and Christian Council, which are sometimes involved with them in sending out releases. 

    Asked what would be his next move, Cable said: “We have no next move; we are not to be dictated to! We have been advised that that is adequate what we have done and we have no next move.”

    Meanwhile, when speaking today on WINN FM’s ‘Voices’ programme, he was asked to comment on what the Prime Minister said.

    “First of all, it is the message that is important and not so much the messengers. I think that one should concentrate on the message that was sent after much study and discussion by the grouping concerned. This is my recommendation!” he responded.



     
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