BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – OUSTED Senior Government Minister the Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris is challenging Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas to allow the Motion of No Confidence to be tabled if he feels that he commands support of majority of the Members of Parliament (MPs).
The challenge was mounted today (Jan. 26) – less than 12 hours after Dr. Douglas announced to the nation that he had relieved Dr. Harris of his ministerial responsibilities with the government.
Speaking on Freedom FM, Dr. Harris expressed that the Prime Minister does not command a majority in the Federal Parliament and, with that being the case, he should do what is honourable and tender his resignation or call for general elections.
“Dr. Douglas may succeed in throwing me out of the party, his party, but Dr. Douglas cannot take the love that I have for the philosophy of the Labour Party, the love for the history the respect for Bradshaw, for France, for Southwell and all those genuine servants. Dr. Douglas cannot take those away from me.”
Without stating that he would vote for the Motion of No Confidence if and when it is tabled, Dr. Harris challenged Dr. Douglas to have the Motion tabled during the next sitting of Parliament scheduled for Tuesday, January 29, 2013.
“So let him do what is in his power to do. The power will not last. He is a Prime Minister now on his way out. He has indicated that. He does not command a majority of MPs in the Parliament and he should now do the honourable thing and resign or call a general election...put it to the people.
“He does not command the majority of Members of Parliament at this particular moment in time. And so if he wants to talk about procedure and support, let him put that to the test and I challenge him. On Tuesday then, if he thinks he has, bring the vote of No Confidence on Tuesday, bring the vote of No Confidence on Tuesday and give the country a chance to move on without him and to move on to a better and more prosperous play.”
A passionate Harris expressed that Dr. Douglas is of the belief that he is “all-powerful” and that this country is ready for a new leadership.
“That is the change I am talking about, a change in dispensation. Too much has happened under Dr. Douglas that should not have happened, and we have patiently waited in the party hoping for change, quietly…even in an agitating way. Dr. Douglas does not listen. And if you want to find out if he does listen, draw attention to all the areas that have been documented after retreat which was held in 2007. Dr. Douglas has done nothing to correct them. He is all-powerful he thinks, but in the end the power comes from the people.”
Speaking specifically to his being fired from the job, Dr. Harris said this action was taken because he expressed the view of the masses on pertinent issues, which differed from those of Dr. Douglas.
But he remains steadfast and resolute, explaining that “…if I perish for telling the truth, if I perish for standing up for the people, then that will be the case and that will be the history. At this moment in time, I have no regrets whatsoever, no regrets for standing up for the people on all those issues I’ve stood up for.”
