BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – LEADER of the Team Unity Government, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris is adamant that neither he nor any member of his family has vested interest in what is happening at the Basseterre High School.
Comments aired on Freedom FM by members of the Opposition had accused Dr. Harris and his Administration of victimising a number of employees in the Public Service who are perceived to be supporters of the Labour Party, and also granting favours to family and friends.
One of the many accusations is that one of his sisters would be in receipt of tens of thousands of dollars as payment for the leasing of land upon which two wooden structures would be built to accommodate students of Basseterre High School.
“...A new information I have, reliably Junie, is that the space that the building is constructed on belongs to the sister of Timothy Harris. It was given to her back in 1998 when Timothy Harris was the Minister of Lands with the intention for her to build a pre-school. But now that same piece of land is used as space to build the wooden buildings for the Basseterre High School and she is allegedly receiving $150,000 per year for the lease of that land,” Senator Nigel Carty had alleged.
Speaking at his monthly press conference yesterday (Nov. 3), Prime Minister Harris excoriated Carty’s accusation, noting that no member of the Harris’ family has vested interest in what is taking place at the learning institution.
“Same is this notion of craziness that Dr. Harris has a vested interest in what is happening at Basseterre High School. What interest I have other than in the two percent I would get on my little deposit at the bank? I have no interest in business in which this Government is involved.
“What interest could my family have? None of them has any interest in any business in relation to those doing work at the Basseterre High. None of them! And then you hear the crazy talk yesterday, $115,000 being paid to the Prime Minister’s sister for the rental of land.
“I mean this is madness...this is a group of maladjusted people intent on destabilising the country because they can’t reconcile it back, that they are so up on their high horse on the 16th of February people rejected them. Rejected them in spite of the squandermania, in spite of PEP, in spite of the SEAF programme, in spite of all and every initiative that they unleashed without no love.”
Dr. Harris reiterated that no member of his family has vested interest in what is happening at the Basseterre High School and declared that the Government only has to pay EC$5 per year for the leasing of land to one of two entities.
