Published 8 February 2018
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
By: Media Source
Popular Basseterre restaurants closed down; unemployment up and censorship in parliament
Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 8, 2018 – The St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher 2 (Central Basseterre), Hon. Marcella Liburd was severely critical of the three-year-old Team Unity Government, pointing to business closures, rising unemployment and an economic downturn.
“Ballahoo is closed, I understood that Stonewalls is also closed and at the height of the tourism season. Small businesses are complaining that things are slow and there is yet to be any economic policy announced by the government to reverse the continuing downturn in the economy,” said Liburd, chairperson of the SKNLP.
She told the nation Wednesday that the social, economic and political gains enjoyed by the people during the 20-year administration of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party have been reversed in just three years of the Timothy Harris Team Unity coalition.
“The country has deteriorated in almost every sector including governance, accountability and transparency. The health sector is at its lowest ebb. Frustration reigns in every department of government as civil servants are not allowed to be professional and operate as professionals. Anyone who criticises the government is attacked by the prime minister himself or his agents under fake FaceBook personalities who represent Team Unity, spewing the most vulgar, nasty and filthiest things about anyone who dares to criticise Timothy Harris,” said Liburd, who pointed there was never an attempt by the prime minister or any member of the cabinet or government to disassociate themselves from what is being pedalled.
Liburd, a former Minister of Health, Social, Community Development and Gender Affairs also referred to Dr. Harris’ attack on media houses and journalists.
“He has told persons not to listen to Freedom FM and WINNFM in an effort to stifle freedom of expression and freedom of the Press,” said Liburd.
Liburd, a former deputy speaker and speaker of the National Assembly, took the current Speaker Michael Perkins to task for colluding with Prime Minister Harris and the government “to stifle the voice of the opposition.”
“The Speaker has taken it to a different level where he now calls the names of private citizens – something that would never happen in any democratic country, abusing his power under the guise of Announcements by the Speaker,” said Liburd.
She told listeners the Team Unity Government inherited a robust seven percent economy in early 2015, but the economy has contracted in each of the three years under Timothy Harris until it has reached 1.9 percent in 2017.
“There is nothing that this government can point to that will ease the squeeze on small businesses. The country has absolutely no direction. The only direction is the prosperity of the Harris family members that have a lot of direction while the majority of the people in this country are doing worse and are suffering,” said Liburd.
Photo 1 – Ballahoo with its signs off
Photo 2 – Ballaho closed sign
Photo 3 – Stonewalls
photos taken today Thursday
