BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – PRIME MINISTER of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris has denied ever meeting with Alkivaides ‘Alki’ David for a 15-minute discussion on the proposed CDB Hemp venture in St. Kitts, as claimed by the international investor.
Dr. Harris was at the time a special guest on Thursday (May 16) night’s edition of ‘Straight Talk’ hosted by his Cabinet colleague Ian ‘Patches’ Liburd on WINN fm 98.9.
He took the opportunity to respond to a statement that David made at a press conference he had hosted at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on Monday (May 9).
“I first had a little meeting yesterday with Mr. Harris at the Hyatt Hotel. It was a very similar meeting, very polite meeting. I sat down opposite him. He was very, very nice. We sat and talked for 15 minutes. I left; I have been asked to do something I didn’t want to do. So I left and then Chase went to him and started to have a conversation with him when a bunch of witnesses who work there at the Hyatt Hotel saw his guard picked Chase up and take him out.
“And the next thing you know he’s being arrested for drugs, for cocaine, which is Ketamine, which is his medicine that has been taken away from him and he is now languishing in the jail,” the billionaire said.
Dr. Harris has however denied what David said in his statement and classified it as political mischief.
“That is a malicious statement and it is akin to the kind of Cambridge Analytica approach, which the Douglas party has taken with respect to matters of the state is to tell the most mischievous lie and hope that the public would believe, because the public would not imagine how low they would stoop.
“I want to make it absolutely clear that neither Mr. David nor Mr. Edward or Mr. Charles, or whatever name he carries, are friends, investors, or partners or have any relationship with myself. And I have never organized or engaged in any meeting with either parties. There was no meeting of the type those who are believing and perpetrating a big lie has talked about.”
The Prime Minister stated that all he had was a 90-second interaction with the billionaire, who had approached him in a confrontational manner with regards to his arrest.
Dr. Harris also claimed that he did not know who David was until his unsavoury approach at the Park Hyatt St. Kitts.
“I knew of Mr. David after the matter broke in the news, and let’s not forget the sequence. I was away in Costa Rica up until May 8. By the time I got home this matter had already become an international story. I think it was about the 9th Mr. David was charged on the advice and guidance of the Director of Public Prosecutions, according to the release from that office.
“On Sunday, last, I had reason to be at the Park Hyatt. I was accosted by a gentleman who, in the end, identified himself as Mr. David and we had an interaction for about a minute and a half, because once I realised who he was I then got a preview of the kind of character, unstabled and unbalanced he was.
“He said to me: ‘Your Government arrested me illegally.’ And I looked at him in disbelief. One, I did not know who he was until he made the approach; and, secondly, that he would come to the head of a country in that particular matter. And I said to him, ‘If you come to a country and you don’t know the laws, you should consult with your lawyer or the government.’ And before I could have finished that, the guest and whom I was awaiting to have had the lunch arrived and Mr. David walked away.”
Dr. Harris admitted to knowing Charles Edwards, also called Chase Ergen, who is said to be David’s business partner, but however denied having a meeting with him as claimed by David.
In his explanation of knowing Ergen, the PM said it came about a few years ago when he had cause to intervene in an Interpol investigation concerning the businessman.
“With regard to Charles Edwards, we never had any meeting whatsoever. Charles Edwards is a personality from whom you keep 10 miles apart, for Mr. Edwards has shown a temperament that would not encourage anyone to attempt to have even a conversation with him. And I have not had a conversation with Mr. Ergen on his visit to St. Kitts of recent.”
According to a police press release, “Charles Edwards also known as ‘Chase Ergen’ of Colorado, was formally charged with three offences on May 15, 2019. The offences were the use of Threatening Language, Resisting Arrest and Battery on Police. The offences took place at Park Hyatt, St. Kitts on May 12, 2019. Edwards remains in custody pending a bail hearing.”
At about 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday (May 7) a private jet had arrived at the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport with eight passengers and two crew members, among whom was David.
On their arrival, David had declared, among other things, 550 plants, which he claimed to be Hemp that were contained in 11 crates of 50 each.
He was detained at the airport until about 1:30 p.m. on the same day while investigations were being carried out by members of the Royal Saint Christopher and Nevis Police Force, Her Majesty’s Customs, and the Agriculture Department, and the plant materials were taken into custody for analysis.
After the plant materials were tested, the results indicated that they were genus of the plant cannabis and, as a consequence, David was arrested on Thursday (May 9) and charged with Possession of Cannabis; Possession of Cannabis with intent to Supply; Importation of Cannabis; and Importation of a Restricted Item.
On the following day, he had appeared at the Basseterre Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate Reynold Benjamin and was granted bail with the following conditions:
a. EC $30,000.00 Cash Bail
b. EC $50,000.00 with two sureties jointly and severally
c. The accused to report to the Frigate Bay Police Station daily between the hours of 7am-6pm
d. The accused to surrender his travel documents immediately
e. The accused to return to Court on Tuesday, May 14th, 2019.
At the court proceedings on Tuesday (May 14), David nwas represented by Attorney-at-Law Jason Hamilton, who made an application for variation of the bail conditions in respect to lifting of the reporting conditions and return of David’s travel documents.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Valston Graham, who appeared for the Crown, made no objections to the application in principle. He however sought an increase in both the cash element and signed conditions of bail.
The Senior Magistrate then granted bail in the following terms and conditions:
a. EC $300,000 cash bail;
b. EC $300,000 with two sureties jointly and severally;
c. The two sureties presented to the Court swore on declaration that they individually had resources amounting to EC $300,000;
d. The travel documents to be returned to the accused; and
e. The accused is to appear at Court on September 23, 2019.
