Despite evidences, PM Harris continues to claim "not appointed relatives to top gov't positions"

In the face of mounting evidence, St Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris continues to claim to the people of St Kitts and Nevis that he is not guilty of nepotism.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Dr Harris repeated the claim that he has not appointed members of his family including sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews to the present positions that they presently hold since he became prime minister in mid-February 2015.

Dr Harris in an interview with Jerry George in St Vincent and the Grenadines on the weekend said "there is not a scintilla of evidence" that he is guilty of nepotism and at his press conference repeated the lies to the press and general public, although the evidence exists in official documents.

According to the St Christopher and Nevis Official Gazette, Volume CXIV, No 13, dated Thursday 7th March 2019, Dr Harris' niece, Ms Delcia Mills-Blaize, a Senior Clerk in his office was appointed as Executive Officer, Office of the Prime Minister with effect from 1st January 2019."

Another Official Gazette, Vol CXI of 28 July 2016, No 37, page 2, noted that his niece, Delcia Mills-Blaize was appointed as Senior Clerk, Office of the Minister with effect from 1st April 2016.

Ms Mills-Blaize was a Clerk in the Department of Labour when Dr Harris assumed the position of Prime Minister in February 2015. Shortly after, she was transferred and appointed as Senior Officer in his office.

Prime Minister Harris also told Jerry George and repeated at his press conference that all of his family members were appointed under the previous St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party administration led by former prime minister the Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas.

The facts are repeated::

1. Dr Harris' sister Janine Harris-Lake was the Registrar. Due to continuous complaints from lawyers as well as the St Kitts and Nevis Bar Association, she was transferred to the Copyright section of the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs. When Dr Harris became prime minister he sent her back to perform the duties of Registrar.

2. Dr Harris' sister Donna Harris headed the Legal Aid Unit prior to him becoming prime minister. After he became prime minister Donna Harris was appointed Magistrate. There was no advertisement for the post.

3. Dr Harris' brother Lenworth Harris was General Manager of the St Kitts and Nevis Development Bank under the Labour government. He was on suspension from the post as an investigation was being conducted when the change of government took place. After Dr Harris became prime minister and minister of finance, Dr Harris sent him back to the bank and he was given the newly-created post of CEO. Dr Harris also appointed Lenworth Harris to be a director on the St Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board. The Development Bank of which he is CEO, also borrows money from the Social Security Board. Lenworth Harris is also on the Committee that distributed the US$16 million given by President Maduro of Venezuela to pay ex-sugar workers a gratuity. The same sugar workers Dr Harris denied were owed monies in 2012 when he was a minister in the Labour Government.

4. Dr Harris has appointed a nephew, Alexis Nisbett, to be chairman of the St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank.

5. Dr Harris has appointed Alexis Nisbett's wife, Akilah, to be a senator and also deputy speaker in the National Assembly. Akilah is also the deputy political leader of Harris' PLP. She replaced Sam Condor who along with others were ousted from the PLP in 2016.

6. Dr Harris has appointed a nephew, Big T, a butler to his private residence with a EC$5,000 a month salary.

7. Dr Harris has appointed another sister, Coretta Harris, then a senior clerk, Ministry of International Trade as Marketing Support Officer, National Entrepreneurial Development Division with effect from November 1, 2015. He has since appointed her Head of Payroll in the Department of Human Resource in the Office of the Prime Minister.

8. Dr Harris as Minister of National Security, appointed his brother, Denzil Harris, then a Prison Officer to several positions since he became prime minister. Denzil Harris, Principal Prison Officer was appointed Chief Prison Officer with effect from 1st April 2016. He is presently Acting Superintendent of Prisons, while the substantive holder, Junie Scrape Hodge is on forced leave since 2016 and is being paid monthly.

9. His brother in law, Jermaine Lake was an Environmental Health Officer when Dr Harris became prime minister. Mr Lake was promoted and appointed Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer on 15 July 2015 with effect from 1st October 2014 and received back pay to 2014 for a post he was never appointed to previously.

Dr Harris' nepotism is not just confined to public appointments. His family members have established businesses in the areas of construction, trucking, landscaping, ice making, security, car rentals, tent, table and chair rentals.