BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – BISHOP Ron Dublin-Collins and the Customs and Excise Department have finally settled their dispute, ending weeks of public feuding over a mid-December incident.
The decision to let bygones be bygones was precipitated by a meeting held yesterday afternoon (Feb. 18) at the Finance Ministry’s conference room, where Dublin-Collins and representatives of the Evangelical Association (EA), Christian Council, Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Ministry and the Customs Department were present.
A communiqué outlining the way forward was disseminated to media houses immediately following the session. According to the one-page document, the purpose of the meeting was to stop the ongoing public debate about certain transactions between the EA and the Department.
“The parties agreed there had been certain instances of miscommunication, misconceptions and wrong perceptions which led to the current situation, and that no useful purpose was served by the current dispute and therefore the current press release would be the final official communication on the matter.
“All the issues having been resolved, both parties decided to retract all their previous statements to the media.”
The release, which bore the signatures of Dublin-Collins and Financial Secretary Janet Harris, noted that having reflected on their past “cordial” and “supportive” working relationship, those involved in the dispute had expressed a desire for that sort of rapport to continue.
It added that future disagreements would be resolved through the normal administrative channels of telephone contact, meetings and written correspondence. The communiqué ended with the parties urging all citizens to work in harmony for the enhancement of their quality of life.
In December, Dublin-Collins was mandated to pay customs service charge for a shipment of pre-released toys. He gave the Department a post-dated cheque, which was not accepted due to insufficient funds and the absence of another signature.
The stories differ from there, as Customs officials claimed the Bishop did not take advantage of a 10-day extension to settle the debt, which eventually warranted a visit to his workplace by senior personnel and an armed officer.
However, Dublin-Collins said he knew nothing about the extension, and along with the national NGO Coalition that he chairs, issued a statement condemning the move. The Department did not officially respond until a press conference earlier this week, where Harris criticised the Bishop’s “unjustified attack”.
