BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN response to his recent announcement that presentation of the 2013 Budget has been postponed, Opposition Leader Mark Brantley has called for the forthwith resignation of the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.
The announcement was made last evening (Dec. 10) and the Prime Minister told the nation that the absence of two Cabinet Members at two of the pre-budget sessions gave rise to the need to postpone the 2013 Budget Address.
Over the past five days or so, a number of events have supposedly been the result of a Motion of No Confidence in the Government and its leadership which was filed by the Opposition of the Federal Parliament.
And Brantley is of the view that the Prime Minister is employing stalling tactics in an effort to save himself some embarrassment.
“These developments mark the first time in our history that the sitting Prime Minister employ every available tactic to avoid attending Parliament and accounting to the Parliament and to the nation for his stewardship. In every respect, it appears that the Prime Minister and the government that he leads are now staging a boycott of the National Parliament.
“Our Prime Minister is out of time, out of ideas and out of options. Refusing to convene Parliament merely delays but cannot deny the inevitability of new leadership in our country.”
After 17 years as the Leader of the country, Brantley said it is now time for Dr. Douglas to relinquish his post and allow fresh leadership to take control of the affairs of the Federation.
“I wish to go on record as saying to Dr. Douglas that he has had a long run, he has been there for nearly two decades. He has now come to the end of his tether and the patience of the nation has worn thin. I ask him to be true to the motto of our nation and to put this country above himself. I ask him to forthwith resign and so allow St. Kitts and Nevis an opportunity to usher in a new leadership, a new dawn, a new beginning.
“I assure the nation that capable and committed leadership awaits that we can even now fashion a new government with the views of all being considered and concluded. There are 11 elected Members of this Parliament, not just one. All of us represent people...all of us have been invested with the trust of our constituents.”
Meanwhile, the Motion of No Confidence which was forwarded to the Speaker of the National Assembly has yet to be tabled and it was expressed that the Opposition would wish it be tabled as soon as possible.
