Basseterre, St. Kitts - On the very popular programme “Inside the News” Hon. Nigel Carty, the representative for the Labour Party and spokesman for the Government on the programme, has gotten into the habit of constantly interrupting the moderator, the panellist and callers to the programme. Some people claim it is a case of verbal diarrhea or simply a tactic to break the trend of thought of the person speaking and to avoid certain revealing facts that might be aired. You be the judge!
While attempting to interrupt one of my calls to the programme, I admonished Mr. Carty and told him that common decency dictates that one listens when someone else is talking and that he should shut up and listen. Mr. Carty decided that I was discourteous and rude to him. Should an adult chastise or admonish a youth for not listening? Shouldn’t older (and perhaps wiser) persons try to teach our youth of today what is considered manners and what is right and respectable? Aren’t many of the crimes that we are experiencing today because of young people who have failed to be corrected and taught respect and decency? You be the judge!
Exactly one month ago on February 23, 2009, I wrote a letter to Hon. Carty regarding the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) asking him to answer some questions about the formation of the Foundation and some other relevant questions. To date, I have not had a reply from him. Is this polite? Is this how we expect our Public Servants to serve us the tax payers? You be the judge!
Since Mr. Carty has refused to answer my questions I am left to do my own research, put the information in the public’s eye and allow you to come up with your own answers. You be the Judge!
The reason I believe that Mr. Carty will not answer is simply because any truthful answers will reveal a number of irregularities that could lead to a lot more questions and complications for those responsible for the formation of the SIDF. But, You be the judge!
The SIDF is funded by monies collected from the sale of St. Kitts Nevis passports! Yes, I said the SALE of our passports. An article in Qwealth Report states, “This article focuses on the only two countries in the world where you can legally ‘purchase’ a second passport. These two jurisdictions - St. Kitts & Nevis and Dominica - do still offer so-called ‘economic citizenship’ programmes.”
For a contribution of US$200,000.00 anyone can “purchase” a St. Kitts Nevis passport! Once you have purchased the passport you can live, work and vote in our Federation! Read the article and check the SIDF website. You be the judge!
In 1984, the previous PAM Government introduced a “citizen by investment programme” through which a person could invest US$250,000.00 or more by investing in the purchase of property-condos or houses or investing in business in our Federation. This created jobs for our people and in the event that there was some problem with the individual the Government could seize the property. And thereby one did not automatically have the right to vote.
The Labour Party lambasted the then Government for introducing the programme.
The Labour Spokesman – the mouth piece of the Labour Party - in their edition of Wednesday, February 24, 1984 headline was “Government presents law to sell St. Kitts Nevis citizenship and to shut out scrutiny by the courts”.
The editorial stated that “Citizenship is one of the most important features of nationhood. It is not a matter to be dealt with in secretively without the knowledge of the public”.
The editorial continued, “The person does not have to set foot in St. Kitts Nevis. The politicians in the cabinet can peddle St. Kitts Nevis passports all over the world as they wish - to criminals, drug pushers, murders, thieves, traitors provided they have a few dollars to give the Government.”
After putting a hold on this programme for a while, the present Government decided in 2006 to add a new dimension to this programme.
A Foundation, the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation was specially formed under the pretext of “assisting in the welfare of the Sugar Workers”.
And by making a contribution of US$200,000.00 – US$400,000.00 one could now “purchase” a St. Kitts Nevis passport! Yes, without even putting foot in St. Kitts or Nevis.
Did the pot call the kettle black? You be the judge!
The SIDF is a “Cash Cow”! The cash is being milked! Already to the extent of over US$40,000,000.00 (forty million) or EC$100,000,000.00 (one hundred million dollars) and “growing”, according to the Prime Minister Dr. Douglas. The question we now have to ask is, “Who is getting fat off of this cash cow?”
The Hon. Nigel Carty, as Minister of Information, might have the answer to this question. You be the judge!
