St Kitts-Nevis Opposition Parliamentarians not attending Annual CPA Conference in Trinidad

The 44th Annual Conference of the Caribbean, Americas and the Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is taking place in Trinidad and no one from the opposition benches have been invited to attend.

The conference at the at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain began on July 12 to 19 and the five parliamentarians - Leader of the Opposition, the Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas, Hon Marcella Liburd, Hon Konris Maynard, Hon Patrice Nisbett and Sen Hon Nigel Carty are in Basseterre and Charlestown.

The purpose of the Association of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Branches of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic Region (CPA CAA) is to provide a forum to promote the aims and objectives and implement the activities of CPA CAA and the Branches in the Region. The aims and objectives of the Association are to promote knowledge of the respective Constitutions, as well as the legislative, economic, social and cultural aspects of parliamentary democracy, with particular reference to the Commonwealth countries in the Region.

The opposition was recently excluded from the OECS Assembly in Antigua.

The Speaker of the St Kitts and Nevis National Assembly has been accused of "stifling democracy" in St Kitts and Nevis since his election to office to replace Hon Franklin Brand who was in the post for two weeks short of one year on the job.

Brand, a prominent local businessman had resigned after he refused to be pressured to

"deal with the opposition" by the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity Government.

St Kitts and Nevis hosted the 42nd Annual Conference of the Caribbean, Americas and the Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) in June 2017.

In his address, Dr Douglas called on the conference to send "a strong and unequivocal message with regard to our region's commitment to the ideals of a strong and independent Parliament promoting a vibrant and inclusive democracy."

He referred to the words of CPA Secretary General Mr. Akbar Khan, '...there can be no democracy where the voices of [all of] our citizens are not heard or amplified through a strong, [inclusive] and independent Parliament.”

Dr Douglas told the nearly 100 delegates: "How can a Parliament, by whatever means, repeatedly deny members of Parliament, present in person, available and inclined to speak, an opportunity to debate essential propositions put forward by the government side? How can a Parliament continue to flout its own rules for short-term convenience while putting into jeopardy the independence, honour and high public regard of the Parliament?"

"My delegation looks very much forward to engaging in such critical and enlightening discussions as 'the role of the Speaker', 'the role of the Opposition' and 'the role of the Parliament in promoting democracy, peace, civility, stability and prosperity.' As it were, we need to get back to the basics. The state of affairs of our democratic systems of governance requires it."

Dr Douglas said he made the subject of a letter to the Regional Secretary the particulars of the conduct of the affairs of the Parliament of St. Kitts and Nevis. and it was his delegation's hope that an appropriate forum can be found in which the critical issues can be discussed and resolved.

He informed delegates during the 42nd Conference, that a motion of no confidence brought by the Leader of the Opposition earlier that year on the account of the conduct of the affairs of the Parliament, was refused to be heard.

"It was instead withdrawn by the Speaker himself using rules that he devised. He sat in his chair, debated the merits of the motion against him – all by himself, subjugated Opposition members as he did so, and ejected them from the Parliament when they objected to his undemocratic posture," said Douglas, the former prime minister and a seven-term parliamentarian.

"I am enormously concerned for the stability of our democracy as a consequence of the abject irrationality and callous partiality on display in our Parliament," Dr Douglas said in June 2017.

To date nothing has changed in the attitude of Speaker Perkins.