Author: Nerys Dockery

June 8, 2020

There is nothing more rewarding than to lose yourself to a life of service to others. Such has been the resolute commitment of those titans of the Labour Party and the Labour Movement who have gone before us.  Such has been my own resolute commitment having had the privilege of serving country and people for over thirty years.  Such has been the resolute commitment of a new generation of candidates who were carefully chosen to stand for public office in this past General Election on June 5^th.  Ours was a race that was well fought and well run. 

Today, I can say with utmost conviction that I am proud of our NextGen candidates who each represented what was best in all of us, with hearts for the people and love of service.  I am proud of the campaign that we ran, where we took the time to engage in serious reflection, to apply the lessons of the past and to listen to what the people of St. Kitts and Nevis said that they wanted and expected of their leaders.  As a result of such extensive consultation and self-reflection, our Party put together a set of comprehensive policies and plans that would enrich and empower the lives of every man, woman and child in this country; create a better normal for every category of worker and enhance the prospects of our local businesses and industries to thrive in the new post-COVID-19 environment.

It is in this vein that I want to thank and commend our slate of NextGen SKN candidates.  To Marcella Liburd, Konris Maynard, Dr. Terrance Drew, the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, His Excellency Kennethy ‘Kenny’ Douglas, His Excellency Steve Wrensford and to Leon Natta-Nelson I want you to know that you will always be winners in my eyes and the eyes of the many persons whose lives you touched across the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.  You have all fought the good fight and you finished the race with grace, honour and integrity.

I would also like to thank the army of young people and our young women in particular.  These emerging leaders virtually took charge of our campaign and helped to shape and define the NextGen Agenda.  As the main beneficiaries of the people empowerment policies of our former administration you showed us that our labour was not in vain and I look forward to each and every one of you doing exploits in the name of service, truth and justice in our society.  Do not be discouraged and do not let any obstacle that is put in your path hinder you from pursuing and realizing your highest and noblest dreams and aspirations, knowing that the call to serving your fellow countrymen and women is the highest calling of them all.  It is because of the massive support of our young people that I have every confidence that the obituary of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party will NEVER be written.

The St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party from its inception has always commanded the love and respect of the vast majority of the people of this country and Election 2020 was no exception.  In fact, it bore witness to a surge of enthusiasm among voters that propelled one of our newest candidates, the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley to victory as the Member of Parliament representing Constituency #1.  It also led to a significant narrowing of the margin that has brought the Chairman of the Pary, our caring Dr. Terrance Drew even closer to eventual victory. 

So to our supporters I want to say a heartfelt thank you, thank you, thank you.  I know that many of you lent of your support and activism at great risk in the environment of fear, intimidation and victimization that has characterized the Harris-led coalition. I know that some of you are very concerned for your future in face of a further five years of a vindictive administration.  I want to give you the assurance that the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party is here for you and shall always stand with you and stand up for you in the challenges that may lie ahead.  We shall fight, tooth and nail, from the mountains to the seas, from the East to the West to ensure that no systemic suffering comes to our people.  I thank all of you for your love and support.

I remain deeply disturbed that the hope, prosperity and opportunity that lay in wait under a NextGen SKN Labour Party has been hijacked in large measure by the many irregularities and anomalies that took place in our electoral and voting processes in the years, months, weeks and days leading to the general election.  It is for these reasons that I cannot in good conscience concede the election as being free, fair and free from fear.

Along with the prejudicial environment that sought to give our competitors an unfair advantage, the Unity administration committed many irregularities which limited the rights of citizens in the voting process.

There have been serious, significant irregularities in the process which we believe have affected the results.  We are collating the reports from the various polling agents of the Party and will report back in short order.  In the meantime keep your chins up, your heads high and rally with your NextGen SKN team.

The will of the people is the only source of authority of government and no right-thinking person can objectively declare that Election 2020 was run based on the standards, principles and ethics of good governance.  For these reasons, the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party CANNOT accept the election results.  We are in the process of examining and compiling evidence with a view to taking serious action on these matters in the future. I therefore reserve my congratulations until these matters have been duly resolved.

Finally, I wish to say to my beloved people of our Federation that the next five years will not be easy as St. Kitts and Nevis, one of the smallest countries in the world by population, struggles to find its new footing in the present post-COVID-19 global environment.  However, I remain confident that the invincible spirit, intelligence, resourcefulness and resilience of our people will take us through even this, our darkest hour, to brighter days. 

To my fellow comrades, I say HOLD STRAIN! We have a righteous wind at our backs.  Let us continue to trust that God will see us through and work everything out for our good. During these perilous times, the St. Kitts-Nevis Party stands resolute and unswerving in our commitment to doing all the good we can do, which is our sacred mission. We have every intention to continue to pursue our people empowerment agenda.

We will continue to fight for our people’s justice. We cannot allow our election principles, processes and procedures to be compromised. True democracy must flourish in our Federation!

I thank you.

May God bless you.

May God bless the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

BASSETERRE, St Kitts – Reportedly, “two St Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) board members have been removed from the Board after they refuse to affix their signature to a loan for $81 million from the Social Security Scheme”.

The allotted sum of $40 million is said – was set aside to repair and pave in concrete the Apron at Robert L. Bradshaw Airport.

Jimmy Pistana has reportedly handed in his ID to SCASPA yesterday June 3, 2020.

The question must be asked why the push to have this large amount of money in some people’s hands? Why the rush to conduct government business days before the general election?

Meanwhile, former chairman of the People’s Action Movement (PAM), attorney Chesley Hamilton has given his endorsement to the NextGen SKN candidates of the St Kitts-Nevis Labour Pary (SKNLP).

He pointed to several issues including freedom of information, integrity in public life, and electoral and constitutional reform.

“That is why I believe that the NextGen SKN candidates like Dr Terrance Drew and Konris Maynard – guys who have distinguished themselves before they come into government. They are not afraid to speak truth to power,” said Hamilton.

Hamilton said the NextGen candidate Leon Natta-Nelson, who is challenging the incumbent Dr Timothy Harris for the St Christopher 7 seat, “has challenged the powers that be before he even gets into government. When a civil servant takes on the structure and take court action and win, that is the type on conceit you want in a leader. That is what you want in a leader, a young person who decides to take public office. I prefer these guys.”

Marcella Liburd’s contribution to our Federation’s survival and progress over the years will continue to put Constituency #2 back on track.

These are the toughest times we have faced over the past 75 years and I believe the training and experience that I have gained over the years in private and public life will continue to be a vital contribution to our Federation’s survival and progress.

One of the first things I plan to do is to help our retirees and senior citizens by offering retirement packages to all retired and elderly persons.

I will also provide help and educational opportunities for young men and women, especially single mothers and at-risk youth.

As soon as possible, we will introduce a programme to create opportunities for disabled persons to earn an independent living.

There will be a new program of tax exemptions and fiscal incentives for small businesses.

We will provide jobs for the unemployed and under-employed in community cleanup, graffiti removal, recycling, landscaping, culinary arts, sports, carpentry, construction, small business, farming, poultry production, and the restoration of street signs.

For young people, especially those that have the talent, there is a need to develop it as fully as possible. To this end, we will create the Akeem “Superman” Moore Music Foundation.

Within our first 100 days, we will start work on completing Phase 2 of the renovation of the Gardens Playfield and we will rename the stands.

I will be pushing for the creation of a semi-professional football league.

The NextGen SKN – St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) will upgrade the James Barman Hanley center at Dorset Park to provide more space for youth activities, a hurricane shelter, and learning centre.

NextGen SKN Manifesto – It’s all about you!

Reasons why Constituency No.2 should not consider Jonel Powell

1. Jonel was found guilty of ‘misappropriating funds’ from a client. By the end of June 2020, he is expected to be disciplined and may be disbarred from practicing law “for misusing his client’s money.”
2. Jonel is morally and ethically disqualified from being put in charge of the money belonging to 55,000 taxpayers and their families. If Jonel cannot be trusted with one man’s million, how can he be put in charge of a country’s finances and other resources?
3. Jonel cannot be trusted. He tried to get a man to pay him US$300,000 “in escrow” apparently, to pay down on the parking lot in the Pelican Mall-Port Zante area. That was when he and his partner, Lindsay Grant were scrambling to find money to apparently “replace the client’s money they had misappropriated.”
4. Three months ago Jonel planted palm trees in his Constituency. He claimed at the time, that he was starting a tree planting exercise, three months later, [today] these same trees are almost dead from neglect.

Since Jonel cannot take care of palm trees; Will he be able to care for Constituency No.2? Absolutely No. Jonel will neglect and ignore the people if elected.

SKNLP2020Manifesto.

June 2, 2020

The voices of many or the power of the people can make things happen.  The outgoing Harris-led coalition regime, which is bent on holding on to power at all cost is being forced to yield to public pressure amidst widespread condemnation of the undemocratic practices that are taking place in the run-up to the June 5^th General Election.

The NGO Coalition (St. Kitts Christian Council, St. Kitts Evangelical Association and St. Kitts Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce) had written to Mr. Timothy Harris indicating that it does not have the local resources to participate and report as observers on polling day. 

On May 28, 2020, OAS Secretary General, H.E. Luis Almagro wrote to Dr. Denzil Douglas in response to letter that he had sent as Political Leader of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party. The OAS Secretary General shared that the government had disinvited his team of observers who were funded, tested for COVID-19 and ready to travel to the Federation as observers.

The St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party continued to apply heavy pressure by applying for several injunctions in the High Court.  It has also vigorously advocated for CARICOM, Commonwealth and OAS officials to be allowed into the Federation to monitor and assess the electoral and voting processes on Election Day. 

With only three more days to Election Day, and with mounting pressure from voters, Dr. Hazel Laws, Chief Medical Officer and Dr. Cameron Wilkinson, Medical Chief of Staff recently announced health protocols to accommodate a CARICOM Election Observer Mission in St. Kitts and Nevis.  The health requirements as announced are:

1. The team members will be escorted to Ocean Terrace Inn Hotel (OTI), Government designated quarantine site upon landing at RL Bradshaw Airport via the RSS aircraft.
2. The team members will be immediately screened (temperature etc.) and relevant naso-pharyngeal sample taken for molecular (RT-PCR) test by Next Generation Lab (local Laboratory).
3. The team members will be accommodated at Government designated quarantine site (Ocean Terrace Inn Hotel) for the duration of visit or for 14 days whichever is longer.
4. The team members will be attired in appropriate PPE (personal protective gear) when they are executing their duties and responsibilities at the various polling stations and interacting with local stakeholders groups/civil society.
5. The team members will be transported to and from election sites/polling stations in an assigned vehicle (preferably a bus to facilitate physical distancing). At least two specific drivers will be assigned to the team. These two drivers will be monitored for COVID-19.

This sudden turn of events demonstrates the important role that citizens and actors in civil society can play in the defense of national values and standards of transparency and accountability in order to protect the democratic interests of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.

June 2, 2020

The economic fallout of the COVID-19 threatens the entire global financial and economic structure and could push hundreds of millions of people below the poverty line. The Head of the IMF has warned that the IMF “anticipates the worst economic fallout since the Great Depression.” She has advised that “Governments should spend as much as they could afford and more but keep the receipts.”  

In response to the imperatives of the post-COVID-19 pandemic which threatens the entire global financial and economic structure, the NextGen Labour Party has devised several fiscal and economic solutions that would bring relief to the financial burdens of the workers, pensioners, students and small businesses which have been egregiously affected by this crisis.

Dr. Denzil Douglas, Political Leader of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party, made several groundbreaking announcements during the Party’s Virtual Public Meeting held June 1, 2020.  According to Douglas, the NextGenSKN Labour Government, within 21 days of assuming office will do the following:-

1. Pay an honorarium of 2 month’s salary to all COVID-19 frontline workers including all nurses, policemen and other medical and security personnel.
2. Pay a 15% increase to all Government employees and pensioners retroactive from January 1, 2020.
3. Increase the monthly stipend to workers who have lost their jobs as a result of COVID-19 from $1,000 per month to $1560 per month which is equivalent to the minimum wage of $360 per week.
4. Give every household a credit note of $3000 which they would be able to use to pay their electricity bills, water bills, NHC rents and mortgages and other obligations to the Government in the upcoming months.
5. Relieve our students and past students of their monthly payments of principal and interest to the Development Banks over the next 6 months. This will not be a moratorium but a forgiveness of the principal and interest payable over that period.
6. Increase the minimum level of age and disability pension paid by Social Security by 81% from its current level of $430 per month to $780 per month, which is half of the monthly equivalent of the minimum wage.
7. 7Establish a fund of $25 million in the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis to provide grants and loans to existing small businesses. The amount and terms of such loans and grants will be conditional of the number of persons that would be employed or re-employed by the enterprise.
8. Establish a guarantee scheme through the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) or through a special state-sponsored vehicle to guarantee loans required by small businesses from their existing bankers to recommence operations and meet their immediate working capital requirements.

“The NextGenSKN has already commenced work in developing a long-term economic recovery programme with a view to correcting any long-term structural damage to our economy that may have been caused by the coronavirus pandemic, expanding local production and our income generating  capability, enhancing food security, and building our resilience to similar economic shocks in the future,” concluded Dr. Douglas.