Opposition: 'St Kitts march a challenge to government'

A Labour Day march through the streets of Basseterre by supporters of the St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) was more protest than anniversary celebration, the party's leader has said.

As well as marking 58 years of the SKNLP, the event – attendance figures are still being confirmed by WIC News – Denzil Douglas described Monday's gathering as “a march of protest and challenge to the policies of the Timothy Harris-lead Team Unity Government which has trampled on the rights of workers over the last two years.”

Douglas, the former Prime Minister, directed his comments at what the SKNLP sees as "victimised workers", with a message that “right cannot be wrong and wrong must be righted and Labour will right the wrongs in our country once again.”

 “The thousands marched in solidarity with those who have been the victims of victimisation, and they are saying, bye, bye to victimisation, bye, bye to corruption, bye, bye to nepotism, bye, bye to the failed policies of the Timothy Harris regime,” he added.

WIC News has approached Timothy Harris and his People's Labour Party for comment.

'Pride back to the working class'

Among the issues highlighted by Douglas the cost of living, which he believes has resulted in the eroded spending power of the weekly minimum wage (EC$360).

In a pitch to voters, the opposition leader pledged that a St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Government “will return dignity, decency and pride to the working class people and citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis”.

“Persons cannot pay for the basic utilities with the wages that they are receiving; others have been sent home and there has been a reduction in work days,” he said.

“Two years later, tremendous hardship is being reined on the people of St Kitts and Nevis.

"The rights of public servants have been trampled upon and political cleansing has become the order of the day for anyone whom the Team Unity Government perceives does not support them."