BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FORMER Commissioner of Police Calvin Fahie has advised the People’s Action Movement (PAM) that they should not march today (Jun. 26) as planned, as this would be playing directly into the hands of their opponents.
Fahie expressed his opinion to this publication on Monday (Jun. 24), one day prior to the People’s Action Movement’s (PAM) press conference at which its leader, the Hon. Shawn K. Richards revealed an alleged plan of heavy police presence and arrest of participants once the march takes place.
The PAM has maintained that come what may, a march would be held today starting from Greenlands Park and is expected to wind its way along Church Street past Government Headquarters.
The Former Commissioner suggested that the PAM should have sought recourse with the Governor General if they feel that permission to march was denied on an unsound ground.
“One has to realise that very few Commissioners in St. Kitts are independent. They are always influenced by the political directorate…Yes the Commissioner has the authority to refuse, but the leader or whoever of the party is of the view that it isn’t on good footing, then he has the right to write to the Governor General. In the absence of that, I wouldn’t advise anybody to go and march.”
While he maintained that he would advise against marching, the Fahie suggested that one or several individuals moving about with placards would not be considered a march.
“But one person could walk around – whether with placard or not - and nobody could stop him, because a march can consist of two or more persons and the Constitution gives you the right to have a peaceful protest. I wouldn’t advise it because there is the heavy hand of the political party, and you can’t even depend on the independence of the police and the impartiality of the police. The leaders of the party (PAM) have to be very careful because there is a subtle (undercurrent) developing where the gentleman (Commissioner) is saying he will give them a little rope and let them fall into it.
“They would like to know they could arrest some of these people because the pressure is on and that is why they are behaving like that. And it is unfortunately that the law enforcement seems not to be able to be on top of things.”
According to Fahie – who served this nation as Commissioner between 1998 and 2004 – the PAM should re-strategise and refrain from playing into the hands of their opponents.
“If you apply for permission and you are refused and you still mean you will march, what was the use of applying? Once there is refusal and you insist on marching, you can get yourself in hot water. This is my position!
“My thing is, yes the pressure is on but keep your cool and don’t allow your opponent to get you into problems. Work it out and seek a little help. If I were to advise them, Basseterre is big and they can have single individuals in different areas, but the minute you get two or more together you have a procession.”
From all accounts however, the PAM is forwarding with its plans to have a peaceful march/protest today beginning at 4:00 p.m.
