Published 25 May 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
June 5 General Election: Government has invited international and regional observers, says PM Harris
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, May 25, 2020 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — Democracy is alive and well in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, and this has been demonstrated by Team Unity Administration’s move to invite international and regional organisations to send missions to observe the June 5 General Election.
“I am pleased to advise tonight that in preparation for the polls, we have written to CARICOM and we have written to the Organisation of American States (OAS) inviting them to come, to observe the historic elections in St. Kitts and Nevis on the 5th of June, 2020,” said Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris.
The Honourable Prime Minister, who was addressing a Team Unity virtual public meeting on Sunday evening May 24, added: “We have also given our support for other local organisations to be part of an observer mission because our democracy will be preserved by the Team Unity Administration.”
Team Unity, Dr Harris asserted, will never take the country back to what it was before February 18, 2015, when the start of the Team Unity Government began following his being sworn in as the Prime Minister of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
He reminded the general public listening to the virtual public meeting that was chaired by the Minister of Tourism, International Trade, Industry and Commerce, the Hon Lindsay Grant and the defending Team Unity candidate for St. Christopher Four, that a Motion of no Confidence in the previous government was held in abeyance for a period of twenty six months.
“Twenty six months: An illegal, an illegitimate government presided in the country,” said Dr Harris. “For twenty six months, the government had a minority of elected representatives in the parliament and they did not want to give up the government because they knew they had not the confidence of the people, and those people had no say.”
Minister Lindsay Grant who introduced the three featured speakers, the Minister of Public Infrastructure et al. the Hon Ian Patches Liburd, Deputy Prime Minister the Hon Shawn Richards, and Prime Minister Harris, gave a synopsis of the great strides the Federation had made since Team Unity formed government five years ago.
“Lindsay was right when he alluded to the fact that we had made history in 2015, and truth be told, with your help – with your votes on the 5th of June we will make a beautiful history again for St. Kitts and Nevis, and for you the people of St. Kitts and Nevis in particular,” said Dr Harris.
He noted that the country made history because when Team Unity embarked upon the vision of togetherness, almost everyone doubted it could happen, in the divisive politics of St. Kitts and Nevis. He added that Team Unity believed in the people and the people believed in the idea of Team Unity that they had to come together to take a stand for a stronger and safer future.
“Five years after we can say – and everyone who is honest can say – that the Team Unity Government has been the best performing government of a lifetime of politics in St. Kitts and Nevis,” said the Honourable Prime Minister. “I must again say thank you to the people. All that we have been able to do and all that we have done has been about people.”
He made an appeal to the electorate to vote Team Unity candidates in the June 5 General Election, to give them the opportunity to make history again and to guide the country to a stronger and safer future. He reminded the public the names of the eleven Team Unity candidates.
They are the Hon Ian Patches Liburd (PAM – symbol hat) for St. Christopher One, Ambassador Jonel Powell (PAM) for St. Christopher Two, Senator Akilah Byron-Nisbett (PLP – symbol saw) for St. Christopher Three, the Hon Lindsay Grant (PAM) for St. Christopher Four, the Hon Shawn Richards (PAM) for St. Christopher Five, and Mr Kevin ‘Ninky’ Williams (PLP) for St. Christopher Six.
Others are Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris (PLP) for St. Christopher Seven, the Hon Eugene Hamilton (PAM) for St. Christopher Eight, Premier of Nevis the Hon Mark Brantley (CCM – symbol hammer) for Nevis Nine, the Hon Eric Evelyn (CCM) for Nevis Ten, and the Hon Alexis Jeffers (CCM) for Nevis Eleven.
