Published 3 August 2017
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News
Saunders’ appointment abrogates the responsibilities of police and defence force chiefs, says Opposition Leader
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, AUGUST 3RD 2017 – Leader of the Opposition and former Prime Minister, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has accused Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris of politicising the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force.
Dr. Douglas said Wednesday that based on what Dr. Harris said in the National Assembly a few weeks ago on the appointment of Retired Major General Stewart Saunders, formerly of the Jamaica Defence Force; Dr. Harris has abrogated the responsibilities of the Police Commissioner and the Defence Force Commander through a National Security Adviser.
“The Prime Minister in responding to people’s concerns with regard to Major General Stewart Saunders of the Jamaica Defence Force being appointed as National Security Adviser said in the National Assembly that ‘Saunders will not be a part of the police force and security forces generally and will not give any directive or any instruction to the Commissioner of Police or the Commander of the Defence Force,” recalled Dr. Douglas.
“What Timothy Harris said to us in parliament and to the Nation is that the Major General will advise Harris and then on advising Harris, Harris will then direct the Commissioner of Police and the Commander of the Defence Force. In other words, Harris has abrogated the responsibilities of the Commissioner and the Commander through a national security advisor. That is what we have been saying all along. The police have been politicised,” Dr. Douglas said on Freedom 106.5 FM “Issues” programme.
Dr. Douglas accused Dr. Harris of not trusting the judgement of the Police High Command with the appointment of Saunders and said the appointment has “undermined the leadership of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force.”
Responding to a caller, Dr. Douglas reaffirmed his confidence in the Commissioner of Police, the Police High Command and the security forces generally.
“But I am confident in my mind that Dr. Harris wants COP (Ian Queeley to fail, because he has a sinister plan that after the probationary two year period is up he is going to fire Queeley. That is what he is leading to. That is why he has brought in the adviser. That is why he is going to say at the end of the probationary period that the adviser (Saunders) advised him that Queeley has failed. I am certain in my mind, that if Harris did not want Queeley to fail, he would not have done all these things that we know he has done since Queeley has been there,” said Dr. Douglas.
Photo: Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas
