BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – JUST one day after leaving his ministerial duties to become Parliament’s Deputy Speaker, Hon. Richard Skerritt resigned from the position and was reappointed Minister of Tourism and International Transport.
According to a press release from the Office of the Prime Minister, Skerritt took the Oaths of Allegiance, Office and Secrecy yesterday afternoon (Mar. 11) before High Court Registrar Claudette Jenkins and Attorney-General Hon. Patrice Nisbett in the latter’s office.
The communiqué further informed that the Senator had tendered his resignation as Deputy Speaker to Speaker Hon. Curtis Martin in a letter dated March 11, 2010.
“[Skerritt] resigned as minister so as to be able to accept the election as Deputy Speaker and protect the procedure of the opening session of the new Parliament during which it was required that both a speaker and deputy speaker be elected,” it noted. “Skerritt said he looks forward to continuing his public service as a minister of government.”
Numerous attempts by SKNVibes to contact the reappointed minister were unsuccessful.
Skerritt was appointed Deputy Speaker after opposition Senator Hon. Vincent Byron declined to accept the role in Wednesday’s (Mar. 10) opening session of Parliament.
Byron’s refusal was consistent with an overall opposition stance that none of its members would accept the position.
Section 32 (3) of the Constitution states that when the National Assembly first meets after any general election and before it proceeds to the despatch of any other business except the election of the Speaker, the assembly shall elect one of its members who is not in Cabinet or a Parliamentary Secretary to be Deputy Speaker.
Prior to Skerritt’s ministerial resignation, the nine-man government side was comprised entirely of Cabinet members, while no one on the opposition benches was ineligible.
Both Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas and Deputy PM Hon. Sam Condor hinted after Parliament’s adjournment that Skerritt would soon return to his ministerial duties, with Douglas announcing on Thursday morning that he had temporarily assumed responsibility for Skerritt’s two portfolios.
He also said that the Deputy Speaker post would not be filled immediately, as Section 32 (3) of the Constitution allows for the National Assembly to elect another member to that office “as soon as convenient” if it becomes vacant.
Hon. Shawn Richards, an opposition Parliamentarian since 2004, was highly critical of the government’s latest move and accused the Douglas administration of lacking transparency and accountability.
“[Skerritt’s] resignation shows that the government is making a mockery of the parliamentary system. The Prime Minister indicated that Skerritt was making a sacrifice, but his resignation a few hours later would indicate that it was not really one and that there was no seriousness to what transpired,” Richards said exclusively to SKNVibes.
“This government lacks transparency, accountability and has no regard for anything – the national debt, the people of this country or democracy,” he charged.
