St Kitts-Nevis PM ‘eroding democracy’, says opposition

The chairman of the opposition party in St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) has expressed concerns over actions taken by Prime Minister Timothy Harris.

Marcella Liburd, who is also member of Parliament for St Christopher 2 (Central Basseterre), warned of incidents of injustice not only in the parliament but also in a level of the judiciary.

“There is a calculated and systematic attempt by the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity government to trample on the fundamental rights and democratic principles of St Kitts and Nevis,” Liburd told Freedom 106.5 FM’s Issues radio show.

WIC News has reached out to the prime minister for comment.

She pointed out that the principle of the separation of powers guide democracies all over the world, which means that the National Assembly or the legislature, the executive or the cabinet, and the court or the Judiciary, must operate separately.

“The court in particular must be independent of the cabinet or the government as justice must not only be done, but it must be seen to be done,” she said.

“One of the first acts of the Attorney General [Vincent Byron] and the Timothy Harris government was to dismiss the director of public prosecutions, because the DPP was investigating a matter that involved a member of the cabinet.”

Taxpayers footing the bill

Liburd, a lawyer by profession, pointed out that on the day of the hearing of the lawsuit the DPP had brought against the government challenging his dismissal from office, Prime Minister Harris was present at the court hearing.

“What does Prime Minister Harris have to do with the settlement of a court matter with the DPP? The matter was later settled out of court for an undisclosed sum of taxpayers’ money and a confidentiality clause was placed in the agreement to avoid public scrutiny,” Liburd added.

She pointed out the concern she feels that two of the Prime Minister’s sisters are magistrates and partly in control of the court, although WIC News has seen no evidence of any wrongdoing.