Statement by Dr. the Hon. Timothy S. Harris, Leader of Team Unity 4th December 2013
Fellow Citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis:
It has been almost three weeks since it became public knowledge that an Iranian national, Mr. Alizera Moghadam, attempted to enter Canada using a diplomatic passport of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Despite Team Unity’s public demands on the illegitimate Denzil Douglas administration to address the matter in an expeditious manner, in the public interest, it took an inordinately long time for a response, which though late, provided little in terms of clarity and honesty.
In Parliament last Tuesday, 26th November 2013, the government made two misleading public statements (one each by Patrice Nisbett and Denzil Douglas) that raised more questions than answers, and which inadequacy gave rise to a third public statement three days later (on Friday, 29th November 2013), from the Office of the illegitimate Prime Minister, which spoke to the procedures as they should be, but not the facts of the case of Mr. Moghadam’s appointment as a Special Envoy of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis to Turkey and Azerbaijan, and the significant holder of a diplomatic passport of St. Kitts and Nevis.
The people of this country are very concerned about what has come to light, the seriousness of this issue and how we are now viewed in the region and around the world.
This passport scandal comes at a time when we can least afford it. It comes at a time when St. Kitts and Nevis needs growth in the economy; at a time when there is an urgent need for permanent, well paying jobs; at a time when we need to bring down a suffocating national debt; and at a time when the people want to remain focused on electing a new government that will bring prosperity to our country. But, we cannot do those things if the Douglas regime is illegally selling diplomatic passports since such action threatens our reputation, our sovereignty and, in the broader context, threatens global security by making it possible for nefarious characters to cross international borders using our travel document. The truth of the matter is that a diplomatic passport should never be sold as any such practice would violate international norms and breach traditions and protocols that advance diplomatic travel.
No one wants to believe that this Douglas administration would risk the reputation of our country and so, in the public’s interest and in the interest of transparency, probity and good governance, as the Leader of Team Unity I again call on the Douglas regime to voluntarily request and submit itself to a comprehensive, transparent and independent public inquiry of the facts and events that have led to this international scandal and the staining of the image and reputation of our beloved country.
This far reaching investigation and subsequent public report should address, in wholesome detail, the following:
- 1) The claim made by Mr. Moghadam (to Canadian Border Security personnel) that he paid US $1 million dollars for a diplomatic passport of St. Kitts and Nevis, including but not limited to details that speak to:-
o Who authorized and/or approved such payment
o Who received the US$1 million, and
o For what purpose(s) was the US$1 million used;
- 2) The full circumstances surrounding the application and approval of Mr. Moghadam to become a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis; and whether or not Mr. Moghadam would have ordinarily qualified for such citizenship, under the established rules and protocols;
- 3) The full circumstances and basis of the recommendation and approval of Mr. Moghadam as a diplomat of St. Kitts and Nevis;
- 4) Whether or not Mr. Moghadam, in the nearly one year since he was conveyed diplomatic status by the illegitimate Douglas administration, has in fact:-
o Travelled to Turkey and/or Azerbaijan on behalf of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis
o Filed any reports, or brought any tangible benefits to the country and the people of St. Kitts and Nevis;
- 5) Whether or not Mr. Moghadam has used the diplomatic passport of St. Kitts and Nevis to gain entry to any other country that he (as an Iranian National) would be ordinarily unable to enter and whether, in the face of this scandal, he is still a holder of our diplomatic passport.
- 6) The question of why Mr. Moghadam lied to Canadian authorities about the purpose of his visit.
It is mindboggling how the Douglas regime continues to trivialize and attempt to divert attention from the issue and facts about this scandal when the citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis understand the serious and immediate repercussions for us as a people. This scandal can devalue our passport. It can make all of us subject to additional and unnecessary screening when travelling, and more disconcerting, the possibility that our people will lose the ability to travel visa-free to over one hundred countries around the world.
In the case of Canada, for example, it means that our citizens wishing to further their education, conduct business, or vacation with family and/or friends would have to travel at tremendous cost to the Canadian Embassy in Trinidad, expending thousands of dollars in pursuance of a visa, instead of the traditional guaranteed free access to that country.
If it is that diplomatic passports are being sold, then it opens up St. Kitts and Nevis as a transit for nefarious characters to permeate borders of other countries to which they would not normally have access. This provides a grave risk to global security. If allowed to develop, it would put our country and all our citizens at risk of crippling international sanctions and travel restrictions that countries, such as Iran and its nationals, are faced with.
Considering these realities, we call on the Douglas regime to do the following in an expeditious manner, in the interest of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis:
- Confirm or deny categorically that Mr. Moghadam paid US $1 million for a diplomatic passport of St, Kitts and Nevis;
- Indicate whether or not there has been any other such dubious appointments, and how many, if any, diplomatic passports have been bought;
- Give a public account of all non-nationals who hold diplomatic status of St. Kitts and Nevis, including the rationale and basis for their appointments and the countries of their remit;
- Provide full disclosure with regard the operation of the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme; and
- Publish a catalogue of changes that have been made, or recommended, in the management and operation of the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme.
In case it is lost on this failed Douglas regime, we the members of TEAM UNITY, who comprise the elected majority in the Parliament of St. Kitts and Nevis and who represent a majority of the electorate, have been advocating for good governance on behalf of all the citizens and residents of this country and give assurance that a new Unity government will take immediate steps to implement international best practices in the management and operation of a competitive and reputable St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme.
We give assurances to our people that a new Unity government will take the measures necessary to repair whatever damage that has been done to our image and reputation and that we will work tirelessly to implement the requisite changes in order to protect the integrity of the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme, a hitherto good program that is now bogged down by corruption and illegality under the Douglas regime.
Meanwhile, I urge our people to continue to be vigilant and to demand more answers of those who have brought embarrassment to our country. In the interest of our children and our grandchildren, we must always demand more accountability and transparency in government and thus Team Unity commits to end the current culture of secrecy and exclusion that impedes economic growth and frustrates even our most determined efforts to become a nation of shared prosperity.
We, all of us, together must take a stand to defend the democratic traditions that we all hold dear. May we be blessed with the strength to do what is right and just to the benefit of our beloved Nation, even when it is difficult to do so.
God bless you and God bless the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
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