Published 26 October 2017
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts sms Nevis News Source
PM Timothy Harris sells lands under food cultivation by local farmer to foreigners
`Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 26th 2017 – Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris has gone back on an election campaign and manifesto promise not to sell lands under the Land for Debt initiative to foreigners.
Chairman of the opposition St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Hon Marcella Liburd made the disclosure during Wednesday’s “Issues” programme on Freedom 106.5 FM and Kyss 102.5 FM.
A reliable source has since confirmed Ms. Liburd’s statement, pointing out that the lands in the Ottley’s have been taken away from a local farmer and his family who have been planting food crops for sale on the local market and for export for years.
Liburd, also the Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher 2 (Central Basseterre) said the Labour Government’s initiative, was the main reason for the fallout between then senior minister Harris and then deputy Prime Minister Sam Condor.
“Dr. Harris and his Team Unity went to the length and breath of this country accusing Dr. Douglas of selling out the patrimony of the country to foreigners and depriving Kittitians and nationals of being able to get a piece of the rock. The issue was also the basis of the No Confidence Motion,” said Liburd.
She referred to the Team Unity Manifesto for the 2015 General Election on pages 16 and 17 which referred to the Vesting of Certain Lands Act as ‘worse than the travesty of Labour’s Parliamentary decision in December 2012 to steal our hard-earned lands from the people of this country. The surrender of over 1200 acres of prime land in the Sandy Point, Cayon, Lamberts and Lodge Estates means that such lands will be out of reach from the common man who dreams of building houses, developing agriculture and other development projects.” Dr. Harris also promised that the repeal of the Vesting of Certain Lands Act will give more lands to the people.’
But Mrs. Liburd pointed out that after two and a half years in office, Dr. Harris and his Team Unity Government have not repealed the legislation within the first 100 days as promised.
“The Government and Timothy Harris have now sold some of those very same lands to foreigners. Up to now Dr. Harris has not said a word to the country about the sale of lands to foreigners. Who is now selling out the country? Who is selling out the patrimony now? asked Ms. Liburd.
Accusing the Prime Minister of deception, Ms. Liburd called on Dr. Harris to “tell the public about the lands held by the National Bank under the Land for Debt Swap. We want Dr. Harris to tell us, who they were sold to and how much money they were sold for.
“We also want Dr. Harris to tell us why after two and a half years the Vesting of Certain Lands Act that he said he was going to repeal has still not being repealed. This is another deception, another broken promise and another example of lack of trust, lack of transparency and lack of accountability,” said Ms. Liburd.
