Published 16 November 2017
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Speaker Perkins colluding with government to turn
sessions of National Assembly into political meetings
Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 15, 2017 – Chairperson of the opposition St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), Hon. Marcella Liburd has accused Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Michael Perkins of allowing Tuesday’s sitting of the lawmaking body to be turned into a political bashing of Leader of the Opposition, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas by the Team Unity government in his absence.
Liburd, herself a former deputy speaker and former speaker, accused Prime Minister Harris of turning a blind eye to the cries of the people who face mounting difficulties in paying their bills, youth unemployment and presiding over an escalation in the cost of living, the unavailability of adequate healthcare and drastic cutback in social assistance to families in need.
“Our people are frustrated and are generally at a tipping point. And the strategy of this government is to blame Douglas for everything that goes wrong, insults him and criticises him in every way possible,” said Liburd, the Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher 2 (Central Basseterre).
She said even supporters of the government are questioning the ability and capability of Team Unity ministers to govern and instead resort to a strategy of blaming former prime minister Douglas.
“The government has become worn out with that game. The Team Unity ministers had a tirade about ‘Dr. Douglas, Dr. Douglas, Dr. Douglas’ and their supporters are now saying to Timothy Harris ‘you have been there for almost 3 years now and you are still to tell us what are you doing to improve the lives of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. What are your plans? What are your programmes to make life better for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis? Those are difficult questions for Dr. Harris and his Team Unity government to answer,” said Liburd, pointing out that the government ministers spent almost the entire day Tuesday bashing Dr. Douglas with the full consent and participation of Speaker Perkins..
“His (Perkins) only rules that apply in Parliament is to shut up the opposition. No other rules apply. Democratic principles have gone through the door. Nothing call democracy is in the National Assembly. Every item on the agenda is an opportunity for government ministers to abuse people, to insult people and to criticise people with the full support of the Speaker whether you are present or not. Whenever the ministers start, no one stops them and only ministers are allowed to engage in that manner and even if we are allowed to do so we would not do it,” said Liburd.
“We are in the National Assembly to discuss issues and not engage in criticising and insulting people,” she said.
“What took place in the National Assembly is reprehensible with the full consent and collusion with the Speaker. Every agenda item takes the form of a political meeting. It does not matter whether the agenda item is announcements by the Speaker, statements by ministers or speaking on the adjournment,” said Liburd.
Photo 1 – Hon. Marcella Liburd
Photo 2 – Hon. Michael Perkins
