BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – RECENTLY ousted Minister of Government Dr. Timothy Harris has declared with certainty that “the Labour Party, once led by Douglas, will not return to government again…”
Dr. Harris made the proclamation while speaking during an exclusive interview with SKNVibes late last week.
The St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) - of which Dr. Harris is the Chairman - was elected to office in 1995 and has since been governing the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis.
In recent times however, Dr. Harris and another of Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas’ former Cabinet colleagues – while they were both part of the Executive body – challenged the government and Dr. Douglas on a number of issues, criticising them for making what they claimed were imprudent decisions that would adversely affect the people of the land.
As a consequence, Dr. Harris, who was fired by Dr. Douglas as a Cabinet Member, faces disciplinary action to be meted out by the SKNLP. And Deputy Chairman of the Party Hon. Nigel Carty has indicated that both men would be replaced as candidates in their respective constituencies.
In explaining reasons for his conviction that the SKNLP would not regain power once under the leadership of Dr. Douglas, Dr. Harris lamented that the Prime Minister’s stint as Political Leader of the Federation, especially during the latter years, has been classified by maladministration and dictatorial tendencies.
“Because the people have had enough of his style of leadership, dictatorship, his mismanagement of the country. And judged by any criteria, (he is) a man who has bankrupt the country, who basically gave it a record in terms of its history of mismanagement; a man who has created so much crisis in the country, political crisis after crisis and is undeserving to continue. Why would we give Dr. Douglas five more years of our lives after 17 years of him debasing every institution of which he has been a part?
“…you have a Vote of No Confidence, the investment climate is being damaged by this recklessness and brinksmanship that has become part of Dr. Douglas’ style of leadership. That is unfair to the country. How many persons’ lights are being cut while they are getting five more years to cut their lights every month? Those are the serious issues, not personality.”
Dr. Harris suggested that the Prime Minister would be rejected by the people when the next polling cycle comes along.
“(These are) serious issues to be debated towards our next election, and it’s time for us to call the next election and let the people decide. Dr. Douglas is seemingly afraid and rightfully so, because the people will reject them. His time has passed and he is overstaying his time, he has overstayed his welcome and he must go not just for the good of the Labour Party, he must go for the good of the country.”
