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| Hon. Joseph Parry |
Once again the Concerned Citizens Movement in the person of Minister Malcolm Guishard in his speech on Monday 19th June 2006 has sought to confuse and mislead the people of Nevis, and simultaneously malign me. It is blatant disregard of the facts and his flirtations with the truth which cause me to respond at this time.
I wish to state to the people of Nevis that my deceased wife Rosalind Parry and myself opened negotiations with Mr. Spencer Howell of Cane Garden late 1984 to purchase ten (10) acres of land at Cox Heath Estate. The land was being offered for sale at $3,000.00 an acre for the following reasons.
1) It was seven (7) miles from Bath Village.
2) The land had no access, no water nor electricity for miles around.
Summary
I am satisfied of the following:
1) Minister Guishard is fully well aware that I was not a Minister of Government when the transaction took place.
2) Minister Guishard knows that the land was not owned by government.
3) Minister Guishard knows that government had no interest in the land for agriculture or any form of economic activity.
4) Minister Guishard knows that in 1985 there was absolutely no interest in building a seaport in that area, and that the land is at least three (3) miles or more from the present Sea Port yet Minister Guishard in his speech asserted; "I have been informed that it was the intention of the previous Administration to construct the Deep Water Port closer to these lands than it is presently constructed and I stand to be corrected. The present site was chosen by the Concerned Citizens Movement Administration." Let me correct him by saying that this is not so and that he must get his facts straight instead of making reckless accusations.
5) Minister Guishard knows it would take a few million dollars even NOW to develop the area.
6) Minister Guishard was advised by a devious and seriously flawed legal person.
The transaction was fully completed in early 1985. My wife and I obtained a loan from Barclays Bank for $30,000.00 for ten years, which thankfully we paid off before she died.
Title was not acquired for that land until the year 1991 when it was registered in the Nevis Registry for lands.
I state categorically the following:
1) The purchase took place in 1985.
2) It was a private purchase between Joseph and Rosalind Parry on the one part and Spencer Howell acting for vendor on the other part.
3) In 1985 I was a mere Permanent Secretary to the Premier, not a Minister of any sort, much less the Minister of Lands.
4) Minister Guishard in his fraudulent speech said, "It is my opinion that Mr. Parry acting in his capacity as Chairman of the Nevis Housing and Land Development Corporation should have encouraged his Board to purchase some or all of these lands for resale to the people of Nevis whom he claims to love and serve." The facts are again that the land was bought in 1985. In 1985, I was not a Minister of Government. In 1985 the Nevis Housing and Land Corporation was not even formed so I could not have used my power as Chairman of that Corporation as Minister Guishard asserted when the Corporation DID NOT EVEN EXIST AT THE TIME. I want Minister Guishard to tell me who could be Chairman of any Corporation when a corporation is NON-EXISTENT! In fact the Corporation was established in 1988 THRE years after the sale of the land.
5) I did not become a Minister of Government until December, 1987. Yet, these are the words of Minister Guishard; "The Leader of the Nevis Reformation Party Mr. Joseph Parry while holding the Portfolios of Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Tourism in the Nevis Island Administration purchased 10 acres for the handsome and princely sum of EC$30,000.00." The transaction took place in 1985; TWO YEARS BEFORE I became a Minister of Government, yet Minister Guishard still asserts that the transaction took place while I was a Minister of Government. These blatant misrepresentation of the facts by Minister Guishard for political gain make Minister Guishard look all the more dishonest and desperate. All of Minister Guishards allegations against me are baseless, blatant and bemusing. He would have gained more political ground by simply saying nothing as his scant regard for the truth in his speech on Monday June 19th 2006, makes it all the more impossible for people to believe him in any other speech he makes.
I conclude that the statement by Minister Guishard was calculated and had a malicious intent. Minister Guishard must know that I take special pride in my integrity, that I conduct myself at all times beyond reproach of the law and that I respect and care for the people of Nevis too much to mislead or misdirect them. Finally whatever Minister Guishard says or does it cannot make right the deal of 80 acres of the best of Nevis land.
