BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - FOLLOWING last week Thursday’s (Jul. 4) incident of vandalism on the property of known Labour supporters/activists, Deputy Political Leader of the People’s Action Movement (PAM) Jonel Powell has reported that one of his billboards was vandalised.
The St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) held a public meeting in Sandy Point on July 4, following which a press release was disseminated indicating that “the vehicles of several Labour representatives, including the Hon. Marcella Liburd and Dr. Vance Gilbert, were vandalised in Sandy Point…”
The release explained that at approximately midnight, it was discovered that the vehicles’ tyres were slashed and windscreens smashed, and that police officers attended to the scene of the crime.
Today (Jul. 7), Powell – in an interview with SKNVibes – informed that one of his billboards which has been erected in the vicinity of Five Ways was vandalised sometime between last night and this morning. He said a Molotov cocktail seems to have been used in the process.
“A bottle with a fluid that smells like gasoline was lit and thrown on the billboard. As a result of that part of the billboard was burnt.”
Powell informed that the bottle allegedly used in the incident was discovered on the scene in an unbroken state and was taken into police custody. He also indicated that he reported the incident to the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and investigations are being made.
The PAM Deputy Leader denounced both this and the Sandy Point incident.
“I certainly do not condone this. What I want to make very clear, is the opposition People’s Action Movement does not participate and has not participated in any such activity. What persons need to understand is that the country is in a very volatile situation and persons are taking matters into their own hands. And I do not condone what happened in Sandy Point nor do I condone what happened in my situation. And I certainly do not want persons to go and retaliate.”
The Constituency Number Two candidate for the PAM indicated that following the Sandy Point incident, certain threats were made to former PAM Leader Lindsay Grant and his wife suggesting that “the war has now started”.
He said this was also reported to the police, but he expressed the view that “what happened by my billboard is retaliation for whatever happened in Sandy Point.
“But I can tell you we had nothing to do with what happened in Sandy Point and it is unfortunate that that is the road we are going down now. But I think the powers that be need to understand that people are properly frustrated and are taking matters into their own hands. It isn’t the politicians now, it’s the people”.
