Published 23 May 2017
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, May 23rd 2017 – The Speaker of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly, Hon. Michael Perkins, shut down references about Chinese fugitive, Ren Biao, when Leader of the Opposition, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas questioned the commitment of the Team Unity Government to its regional and international obligations.
Dr. Douglas questioned the government’s commitment to important legislation in bringing two pieces of legislation for debate at Tuesday’s sitting when they were given a first reading 8 months ago.
He noted that there have been meetings of the National Assembly but on several occasions, no public business is down on the Order Paper for debate.
“We sit here for hours listening to the Statements by Ministers on issues which have already been brought to the attention of the people in several releases from the Government. Yet to do the peoples’ work and serious business to impact us nationally, regionally and internationally, it takes 8 months to bring them back to Parliament in order that they can augment the laws of St. Kitts and Nevis and put us into a better standing,” said Dr. Douglas.
He said the Government must at all times show its own commitment to what its task is and made reference to the standoff between Prime Minister Harris and the Peoples Republic of China over Chinese fugitive Ren Biao wanted in Beijing for defrauding state-owned companies of US$100 million.
“Is there any serious commitment with regard to what is being required and requested of us from not only an international organisation – Interpol – but also what is required of us as a member of the international community of nations including mainland China? We are told in the media that the Chinese government has identified an economic citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis …” said Dr. Douglas, when he was interrupted by Speaker Perkins after prompting by Prime Minister Harris.
“I am following you very closely Member for St. Christopher 6 (Dr. Douglas). We have a Bill before us – The Immigration Bill, which i agree is connected with the Advance Passenger Information Bill. You have raised an issue of a Chinese national. I too have heard reports and the government have indicated that the matter is under investigation. There has been a public release to the best of my knowledge by the government of the day that the matter is under investigation and so i would not wish for you to go down that path of bringing up this issue of Chinese national because, we, in my view will await the report that I believe government in time will issue and then I will be willing to continue to hear or discuss the matter. At this time, I believe if you continue to go down that path. I am not willing to accept the media reports,” said Speaker Perkins.
Dr. Douglas continued: “There is a current matter where the Chinese Government has labelled our government as being a corrupt government.”
Prime Minister Harris protested stating there was no news release from the Chinese Government.
“You cannot use media reports. There is nothing. No statement was issued from the Government of China. Persons are saying. Media are saying. No release from any Embassy representing the Chinese Government. No diplomatic note on this matter to us. None,” said Prime Minister Harris.
“I rule that I will not allow any references to the matter to do with any Chinese national to be a part of this particular bill. I will not accept any more references to this matter,” said Speaker Perkins, who has been accused of stifling democracy in the National Assembly.
China has openly accused the Team Unity Government of Prime Minister Harris of refusing a request to hand him over to Beijing citing the need for due process.
China has accused the Timothy Harris administration of continuing to stall on the issue.
In a statement from its embassies around the world, the Peoples Republic of China said St. Kitts and Nevis is fast becoming a haven for criminals by harbouring Ren Biao and accused Prime Minister Harris of being un-cooperative on the issue. Biao, who is on the Interpol list, is wanted in China for defrauding a state-owned company of US$100 million.
China said it intercepted communication on April 16 in which the fugitive, who is in St. Kitts and is an economic citizen, called relatives in Beijing seeking an additional US$190,000 to help to continue pay for his protection by Kittitian authorities.
The Government first denied having informal or formal information on the matter, but regional media outlet, CaribUpdate said its own investigation revealed that the Ren Biao matter was raised via an unnamed Caribbean country with the Timothy Harris-led Administration in January this year.
“There was a direct request made on the issue of Ren Biao in January to (Miss Kay Bass), the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in St. Kitts and Nevis from the Permanent Secretary of another Caribbean country,” CaribUpdate said.
The regional media house said this was also followed by direct communications between the Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit of St. Kitts and Nevis, Ms. Jacqueline Berry and the same Caribbean country and its counterpart in Basseterre.
CaribUpdate further reported that at the meeting in Basseterre, officials of the Timothy Harris Government and law enforcement officers including members of the High Command were provided with details of the claims of financial impropriety.
The Head of the Financial Service Unit in St. Kitts and Nevis and the Head of the unnamed Caribbean country subsequently met in Basseterre in April this year on the Ren Biao issue.
CaribUpdate also said that Kittitian security officials met with Chinese security officials over the issue in early April this year after they were granted a visa waiver from Basseterre to enter St. Kitts and Nevis.
They were met on arrival at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport by St. Kitts security officials on April 14th and spent a week on the island.
Prime Minister Harris has admitted knowledge of the request to handover Biao, but the questions remain, who in his government has been offering protection to Ren and who is collecting the protection money?
Last week, CaribUpdate in its Friday morning report said that top security officials in St. Kitts and Nevis have said they cannot locate the Chinese native wanted for fraud in Beijing, after regional counterparts had urged them to have the man interviewed.
CaribUpdate said it had seen a note from a top Kittitian official who is claiming that the man might have changed his location since he is apparently not at the address that they had guided Chinese police agents to in April,
The St. Kitts and Nevis security official could not say whether the man was still in St Kitts.
Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris claimed that the passport of Ren Biao was among scores of others that were deactivated because it did not have the county of origin information.
But CaribUpdate pointed out that the deactivation of the passport by Prime Minister Harris had nothing to do with Ren Biao on the Interpol Wanted List.
Dr. Harris has not responded to repeated requests from CaribUpdate for a comment on the whereabouts of Ren Biao.
