BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Sam Condor has reassured citizens and residents of the Federation that the government has not abandoned them because Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas is off-island.
“Although the rest of us have not been sworn in as ministers yet, the government is still functioning. The Prime Minister spoke to me beforehand about going to Ethiopia and said he would speak to the Attorney-General’s office so that if there were any problems, I could be in a position to deal with them.
“He is due back by Thursday or Friday. If there is any emergency, I will be called upon to address it. But the Prime Minister has not abandoned anyone,” Condor stressed.
Douglas left the island late last week just days after being sworn in for his fourth term as Prime Minister, without naming a Cabinet or appointing any ministers to his new administration.
Various media outlets had tried unsuccessfully to receive his whereabouts through his Press Secretary Erasmus Williams, until the BBC Caribbean reported earlier yesterday (Feb. 3) that Douglas was part of the Caribbean delegation to the recently concluded African Union heads of government summit.
In the interim, both former leader of the federal opposition, Mark Brantley, and leader of opposition party the People’s Action Movement, Lindsay Grant, have expressed their displeasure at Douglas’ departure.
Section 55 of the Constitution states that the Governor-General has the authority to appoint a minister of government as acting Prime Minister in the event of the incumbent’s absence or illness.
According to Condor, the fact that no minister has yet been appointed threw the proverbial wrench into Douglas’ plans. He is presently the Deputy Political Leader in Douglas’ ruling St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), and has served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Labour administration since 1995.
“The Prime Minister was under the impression that he could just appoint me as acting Prime Minister, but according to the Constitution, I would have to be appointed as a minister before I become the acting Prime Minister,” he revealed. “So the Prime Minister left under the impression that I would be appointed acting Prime Minister, but learned later it could not be that way.”
He stressed that it was just a “temporary problem”, one that would be solved when the SKNLP unveils its cabinet at the Warner Park Cricket Stadium on Sunday (Feb. 7). The party won its fourth successive victory in the January 25 election by capturing six of the eight St. Kitts electoral seats.
Persons have speculated that the delay between Election Day and the Cabinet’s formation is because Douglas wants to appoint a new Deputy PM, a notion that Condor disputed.
“I will be the next Deputy Prime Minister in the Labour government. The delay in my appointment is because the Prime Minister wanted to do all the appointments at the same time and we haven’t completed assigning the portfolios.”
He added that he was happy with the ministries he has held since 2004 (Education, Youth, Sports and Social Security), especially Education, because he felt like he had made a difference in “preparing the young minds of the nation”.
