PAM describes the call as rubbish
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CALLS continue to be made for Government Backbenchers Hons. Dr. Timothy Harris and Sam T. Condor to resign as Parliamentarians and seek a new mandate from their constituents.
Both Condor and Harris in 2010 were returned to office by their constituents in St. Christopher Three and Seven respectively as part of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) team, but they have since disassociated themselves from that party and have formed their own, the People’s Labour Party (PLP).
Only two weeks ago, Prime Minister and Leader of the SKNLP, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas issued a call for both men to vacate their Parliamentary offices and return to their constituents to ask of them a new mandate. He suggested that it is unethical and unfair for both men to function independent of the SKNLP while still on that party’s ticket.
Prime Minister Douglas also asked non-governmental organisations to assist in asking the men to hand in their resignations from the Federal Parliament.
Dr. Douglas’ echoed his previous call for resignation last evening (Jul. 2) during his Cabinet’s ‘Face to Face’ consultation meeting.
“If Condor had any decency, if Harris had any decency, they both would have resigned, resigned from Parliament and go back to the people and get a new mandate because they cannot use their Labour mandate that they have been given and give it to PAM. It cannot happen! It must not be allowed to happen!
“And I say to you therefore, the people must continue to demand that the representative for Constituency Number Three must resign. And whenever you see him say, ‘Resign now! Now, resign and give the opportunity for a new mandate to be given by the people.’”
Following Prime Minister Douglas’ first call, members of St. Kitts’ main opposition party, the People’s Action Movement (PAM), counted his call and his reasoning as bilge.
One of the arguments forwarded by the PAM is that when a person is elected – regardless of what political party’s umbrella they campaigned under – the Constitution states that they are elected as a Member of the Parliament and not as a member of a particular party.
It was also declared that when the oaths are taken, they make no reference to political parties but rather to the Constitution, to the Queen, her heirs and successors as well as to the law.
Another argument forwarded by the PAM suggests that if the Prime Minister’s statements are accurate, then a particular member of his Cabinet should also resign and seek a new mandate from his constituents.
They explained that the Hon Patrice Nisbett, who was elected on a Nevis Reformation Party-ticket, joined forces with the SKNLP government. And it was asked – in that case – if Nisbett had resigned his Parliamentary post and sought a new mandate from his constituents.
Members of the PAM have made clear that if the Prime Minister is making calls for Condor and Harris to resign, he should also ask his Cabinet colleague Nisbett to resign and seek a new mandate from his constituents.
