Published 9 August 2017
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News
Labour MP fears new PAC legislation will undermine accountability, transparency and good governance
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, AUGUST 9Th 2017 – Member of Parliament, Hon. Marcella Liburd has expressed concern that proposed Public Accounts Committee (PAC) legislation by the Team Unity Government of Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris could place restrictions on government official who can appear before the watchdog committee which ensures accountability, transparency and good governance.
A Public Accounts Committee examines the Government’s use of resources and the financial operations of state agencies. It also looks at both financial probity and regularity, and focuses on whether agency programmes are achieving their objectives. The Committee reviews reports made by the Auditor-General, to ensure that agencies respond appropriately to the Auditor-General’s recommendations.
“We understand that they are going to place restrictions on who can appear before the Public Accounts Committee. We would not stand for any restriction in this Bill because we believe that where public funds are used, they must be accounted for and the country must know and be satisfied that their taxes are properly used and are accounted for,” said Ms. Liburd during the recent Issues programme on Freedom 106.5 FM
Ms. Liburd disclosed that when she was appointed the Minister of Social and Community Development in 2010, the Permanent Secretary at the time, Ms. Sharon Rattan brought a bill (invoice) for the attention of the department’s uniform assistance programme.
“We did not know who ordered the uniforms. We were wondering where this bill came from, because it is the Department itself that ordered all the uniforms for students who are eligible to receive assistance. I told her not to pay it and the bill remained unpaid, until an individual who makes uniforms came to the ministry to demand payment for his services. We investigated who placed the order for these uniforms only to be told that it was Dr. Timothy Harris (then Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Agriculture, Marine Resources and Cooperatives and Constituency Empowerment), who personally placed the order. Dr. Harris knows there is a uniform assistance programme and how the system works,” Liburd told listeners.
“We paid the person. (But) if he as a minister of government could do that, could you imagine what is happening (now) as the prime minister? Could you imagine how he is bypassing all the processes and procedures and doing just whatever he wants to do? That is who we are dealing with,” said Liburd, who is a former Minister of Health, Deputy Speaker and Speaker of the National Assembly.
She also said persons were not surprised that Dr. Harris’ People’s Labour Party (PLP) prior to the 2015 General Election had in its possession a listing of high-income persons who paid substantial contributions into the Social Security Scheme.
“The PLP is not afraid to corrupt other people because somebody who is working inside Social Security had to be approached and who had to agree to provide the list. Could you imagine what is happening now in terms of getting peoples personal and confidential information illegally,” she asked.
Ms. Liburd said she has heard Prime Minister Harris stand in Parliament and called the names of persons who owe the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank.
“How would he know that? How would he know who owes National Bank?” asked the Central Basseterre MP, who described the conduct of Prime Minister Harris
“as the lowest ebb of leadership ever” in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Photo 1 – Hon. Marcella Liburd
Photo 2 – Hon. Timothy Harris
