BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – KNOWN Labour supporter and popular social commentator Washington ‘Washie’ Archibald is alleged to have been accused of inciting violence against the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas; an accusation he strongly denies.
Initial inquiries made by this media house suggested that members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force approached Archibald on Monday morning (Feb. 16) seeking to arrest him for allegedly making comments of incitement on his morning talk show ‘Ask Washie’ on WINNFM.
SKNVibes contacted the social activist who explained that two police officers, one whom he identified as Superintendent Dolphin, “came to my place of work to warn me that I have been reported for inciting violence against the Prime Minister”.
Archibald said the Superintendent told him that the alleged incitement took place on Thursday morning (Feb. 12) “and it is alleged that I said something in one of my lectures that is interpreted to be incitement against the Prime Minister”.
Providing elucidation, Archibald said he could recall responding to a complaint and suggesting that individuals stage a silent protest. He said that those comments, at their very best, are a far cry from incitement.
“A caller complained that the ex-patriot investors and builders are laying off local workmen and employing Guyanese and Dominicans. I suggested that the aggrieved workers should form a union so that they could have collective bargaining power and, then as a short term strategy, I advocated that they should go down Church Street and demonstrate silently. I told them to have their placards, stand up in the road facing Government Headquarters and let the authorities know how they feel.”
According to Archibald, he suggested to the officer that he should listen keenly to the tapes of his lectures and decide for himself whether or not inciting comments were made. Archibald also said he reminded the officer that “as a citizen of this country, I have a right to criticise anybody, including the Prime Minister”.
The social commentator said he told the officer that the only person who should be investigated for incitement is the Prime Minister.
“I am not inciting any violence against anybody. All I have done is to criticise the Prime Minister for the manner in which he has managed the country...I contended that the only person who might be guilty of incitement or who should be investigated for incitement is the Prime Minister because of his conduct at his political meetings. When he said in Cayon, ‘I incite already and I cud incite again.’ I told the officer that if St. Kitts was well organised, Dr. Douglas should be called to answer to the court for this inflammatory remark at a public meeting.”
Archibald said that he challenged the officer to arrest him “if he thought I was in any way guilty to incitement or if he felt I had a case to answer, but he declined”.
“This was an attempt at intimidation which hasn’t worked and it will not work in St. Kitts right now in the climate of freedom which our citizens now live under. We have got sufficient people to support this cry for freedom that this attempt for intimidation will not work,” Archibald expressed.
The Police Press and Public Relations Officer, Inspector Cromwell Henry was contacted and he said that he is unaware of any reports of incitement involving Archibald. He also said that he was unaware of any police officer’s visit to Archibald.
Commissioner of Police Austin Williams was also contacted and questioned about the incident. He informed that he has no knowledge of reports made against Archibald or of Dolphin’s visit to his place of employ. He however informed that Dolphin is the Head of the Special Branch, which is charged with the responsibility of the PM’s security.
Superintendent Dolphin spoke exclusively with SKNVibes earlier today and said he was quite surprised that a situation as simple as this has escalated to the point which it has. He said Archibald is his former teacher and when he heard the rumours he felt it necessary to look into them.
“I was passing with one of my officers and I saw him and I recalled what I was hearing. I stopped and called him. I spoke to him and told him what I heard...He explained what was said and I said okay, that is not an issue. I approached him as Head of the Special Branch.”
The Superintendent explained that he did not listen to the lectures for himself but was just acting upon rumours he heard. He said after his chat with Archibald, he is satisfied that he made no comments of incitement.
“...I said I heard some rumours that you were on a radio station and incitement was used against the Prime Minister. He said, ‘No!’ he did not say anything like that...Then I told him what was said...that is nothing. He told me he knows what is inciting and defamatory language and so forth...I told him I know he is a man who knows those things so that is not an issue. There was nothing about warning him or anything.”
