By: E. Williams
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, May 9th 2017 – As the Chinese fugitive scandal unfolds in the glare of the nation, the Caribbean region and around the world, it is obvious that the credibility and honesty of the Federation’s Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris is at stake.
Tuesday’s edition of CaribUpdate informs that the Ren Biao issue was raised between the Ministries of Foreign affairs of St. Kitts and Nevis and another Caribbean nation and separate meetings in Basseterre between the Heads of the Financial Intelligence Unit of St. Kitts and Nevis and another Caribbean nation and Chinese security and St. Kitts and Nevis security officials.
CaribUpdate said its own investigation reveals that the Ren Biao matter was raised with the Timothy Harris-led Administration in January this year.
“There was a direct request made on the issue of Ren Biao in January to (Miss Kay Bass), the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in St. Kitts and Nevis from the Permanent Secretary of another Caribbean country,” CaribUpdate said.
The regional media house said this was also followed by direct communications between the Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit of St. Kitts and Nevis, Ms. Jacqueline Berry and the same Caribbean country and its counterpart in Basseterre.
CaribUpdate further reported that at the meeting in Basseterre, officials of the Timothy Harris Government and law enforcement officers including members of the High Command, were provided with details of the claims of financial impropriety.
The Head of the Financial Service Unit in St. Kitts and Nevis and the Head of the un-named Caribbean country subsequently met in Basseterre in April this year on the Ren Biao issue.
CaribUpdate also said that Kittitian security officials met with Chinese security officials over the issue in early April this year after they were granted a visa waiver from Basseterre to enter St. Kitts and Nevis.
They were met on arrival at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport by St. Kitts security officials on April 14th and spent a week on the island.
CaribUpdate further reported that a Chinese diplomatic source who worked on the visa waiver issue, said it is highly unlikely that the officials at the highest level of the Timothy Harris government did not know that the officials were there.
Attorney General Sen. the Hon. Vincent Byron said that Chinese security might have been operating undercover without official sanction.
China said Monday it will issue an official statement this week on the Chinese fugitive issue with the St. Kitts and Nevis Team Unity Government of Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris.
China said it has made a formal request to St. Kitts and Nevis to handover Chinese fugitive, Ren Biao, contradicting claims by Prime Minister Harris and his Attorney General, Hon. Vincent Byron.
A Chinese diplomatic official has raised the spectre of Beijing moving against a number of agents for the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment programme based in Hong Kong.
Leader of the Opposition in St. Kitts and Nevis, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has called on the Federation’s Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris to resign as the region and the world await the government’s next move following accusations that it is protecting a Chinese national who is paying large sums of money to the St. Kitts and Nevis authorities for continued protection.
In a statement on Friday afternoon, Dr. Douglas said that despite formal requests by China, as well as Interpol, to secure the return of Mr. Ren Biao, who also has St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship to face prosecution in China, the current St. Kitts and Nevis Government is refusing to cooperate.
Ren Biao, who is on Interpol’s wanted list, is accused of stealing US$100 million from a Chinese state company.
Chinese diplomatic officials believe the Timothy Harris government in St. Kitts and Nevis is protecting the Chinese national, who is currently resident in St. Kitts with a wife and school-aged son.
The same Chinese diplomatic sources also disclosed that in an intercepted communication on April 16, Ren called relatives in Beijing seeking an additional US$190,000 to help to continue pay for what he reportedly described as his protection by Kittitian authorities.
Photo 1 – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris
Photo 2 – Ren Biao
*This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKN PULSE. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical errors within press releases and (or) commentaries. The views contained within are not necessarily those of SKN PULSE.
