BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – POLITICAL Leader of the Federation the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has left some individuals confused, having recently made what appear to be conflicting statements concerning the Motion of No Confidence and its tabling in the Federal Parliament.
On one hand, the Prime Minister suggested that whether or not the Motion of No Confidence is tabled and when, if ever, rests within the authority of the Speaker of the National Assembly the Hon. Curtis Martin.
In more recent statement – however - which sprang from the political platform, Prime Minister Douglas, who is also the Political Leader of the ruling St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party, categorically indicated that the Motion would not be tabled unless Messrs. Timothy Harris and Sam Condor resign their seats in the Parliament.
“The matter rests with the hands of the Speaker and…with the facilitation of the Executive, the Government. Because it is the Executive which sits down and determines the items that come before the Parliament, the items which are on the Order Paper, and also, to a large extent, the Executive, with the Clerk and with the Speaker, determine the calendar of the Parliament,” Dr. Douglas said.
But appending to his statement made on July 19, 2013 at a political meeting on Bank Street, Prime Minister Douglas said if he had his way, the Motion would not be tabled unless Messrs. Condor and Harris resign their seats.
“My statement on the political platform remains where it is...on the political platform. And my statement does not in any way infringe the authority of the Speaker to have this matter brought before the Parliament. In other words, I’m saying if I were to be the person entirely in charge of the process, I would not have it brought unless they would have resigned.”
Despite the Prime Minister’s indications surrounding with whom the decision to table or delay the tabling of the Motion of No Confidence, there are still those in some quarters who are convinced that that dictate lies with Dr. Douglas himself.
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