BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE St. Kitts Evangelical Association (SKEA) has thrown its weight behind its beleaguered President, Bishop Ron Dublin-Collins, the recent victim of harsh criticism by Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas.
“We support Bishop Ron Dublin-Collins’ zeal and determination to stand for truth without fear or favour as he acts in the role of President,” read a SKEA press release dated February 20.
“Derogatory remarks made against [him] in the media will not dissuade [SKEA’s] commitment to work together to unify the churches and to bring hope to the nation under his leadership.”
Dublin-Collins was the past chair of the national NGO Coalition, consisting of SKEA, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, and the Christian Council that served as observers to the January 25 elections.
The tripartite grouping released a report on Monday (Feb. 15) identifying concern with several elements of the Election Day conduct, including the inappropriateness of some polling stations, the slow progress of voting lines, voters who were non-resident in their polling divisions, and the “unwarranted” military presence in some areas.
But its harshest words were saved for Douglas, accusing him of participating in voter altercations in Constituency Four and using security forces to ferry around voters from his Constituency into other districts.
At a press conference last week, the PM deemed the report “false and malicious”, and later appeared on Sugar City Roc’s radio programme “Journeys” to reiterate calls for its withdrawal.
“It is because of inaccuracies and lack of respect for truth on the part of some of these persons who crafted this particular report. Ron Collins himself was the person from the NGO Coalition who seemed to have been monitoring the Halfway Tree area and other areas in St. Christopher Four.
“Collins seems to have a deliberate mandate...firstly to carry the agenda of the [opposition party] the People’s Action Movement and, secondly, an attempt to tarnish me personally as leader of Labour and as the Prime Minister of this country.”
Douglas also referenced the recent dispute between Dublin-Collins and the Customs and Excise Department, which was finally resolved on Thursday (Feb. 18) after weeks of heated back-and-forth in the media.
“In light of the controversy which is presently existing with Ron Collins and the Customs, and the half-truths and lies and the inaccuracies that have now come to light after Financial Secretary Janet Harris brought those to the attention of the public, it is in the same vein that I am calling for this part of the report to be withdrawn,” he stated.
However, SKEA praised Dublin-Collins’ handling of the incident, maintaining that the Bishop always had the best interest of the nation’s children at heart, and congratulating him for using his own money to the settle the association’s indebtedness to the Customs and Excise Department.
