Published 21 March 2018
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
By: Media Source
Another PLP convention amidst silence from PM Harris on allegations of campaign funds
Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 21, 2018 – With the PLP convention not far away, the general public, including shifting PLP supporters and diplomatic interests overseas are still waiting for St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris to keep his promise to call a press conference of his Peoples Labour Party (PLP) to deal with allegations of unaccounted campaign funds, which surfaced following the February 16th 2015 General Elections.
The allegations have been made by former PLP deputy leader Sam Condor, former PLP chairman Douglas Wattley and former secretary Clecton Phillip. For nearly two years they have been publicly calling for an inquiry into the alleged unaccounted for campaign funds.
Wednesday, an individual, who is a PLP supporter said she awaits this weekend for answers to the “controversial campaign funds.”
During the prime minister’s press conference in April 2017, Dr. Harris refused to touch the issue of unaccounted campaign funds stating the press conference was a government event and not a PLP function.
WINNFM’s Ken Richards had pointed out to Dr. Harris that campaign financing is part of his Team Unity Government’s good governance, transparacy and accountability agenda that he promised during the election campaign.
“Campaign financing that is part of good governance and that is a matter that is there, when that particular programme is put to the public then the public will be advised of it. You brought in too, the mischief being propagated by persons who are no longer with the PLP in large measure because of that mischief,” responded Dr. Harris, with Richard’s noting that Harris was referring to a question from the media house about allegations from three former executive members of Harris’ Peoples Labour Party (PLP), of allegations of unaccounted for campaign funds.
“I would therefore caution those who want to propagate those mischief, that they will answer to the court. I myself, is not going to get into any to or fro but it is discouraging when media houses attempt to take hearsay without a scintilla of evidence from disaffected persons and attempt to propagate it as if there is some truth in it. Not one scintilla of evidence and that has been reported not just by myself, but by senior members of the party.
“In fact all you have from those stories are some hearsay. Not one credible bit of evidence has been put in the public domain, so why are we talking about this hearsay and propaganda that people are attempting to put on social media for others to follow. I have taken legal action because ultimately that is where the matter will resolve itself,” Harris told the press conference in April 2017.
Court sources say however there is no record of court action by the prime minister with regard to the allegation of EC$10 million in unaccounted campaign funds.
WINNFM pointed out to Prime Minister Harris that his former PLP deputy leader Sam Condor, former PLP chairman Douglas Wattley and former secretary Clecton Phillip have been publicly calling for an inquiry into the alleged unaccounted for campaign funds.
The three, who are no longer executive members of the PLP after a new executive was voted in at the party’s convention in March 2017, continue to maintain however, that there is need for an inquiry into the matter.
And WINNFM’s follow-up question did not find favour with Dr. Harris.
“Yes, but if it is a question to do with the PLP, please that is a matter already before lawyers and I will not entertain any questions to do with that matter,” he said.
“For the record I am not entertaining that discussion. At an appropriate forum of the PLP, you could perhaps put that to the PLP. I am dealing here as the prime minister with matters relevant to the government and the accusation of members, whoever they are, of the PLP have no bearing on the functioning of this government and they are not matters that I raised or matters that I figure a press conference of the government should be diverted to,” prime minister Harris replied.
Photo – Launching of the PLP in 2013 – (left to right) Clecton Phillip; Dr. Timothy Harris; Sam Condor; Venelma Hanley and Douglas Wattley. The only executive member serving is Prime Minister Harris
