BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – March 16th 2017 – The opposition St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) caretaker for St. Christopher 8 Dr. Terrance Drew says there is stark evidence of nepotism, favouritism, cronyism and a high level of corruption in the Team Unity coalition administration of Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris.
Dr, Drew is of the view that the high level of nepotism is of major concern to all sectors of the nation, that Prime Minister Harris has resorted to a series of Town Hall meetings dubbed “Good Governance and Accountability” to distract attention from the stark evidence which the public has been talking about.
He pointed out that even in the face of the evidence, Prime Minister publicly denies responsibility for his own actions as Minister of Human Resource and the hiring and appointment of family members not only to senior civil service positions but as directors on state-owned corporations.
“Favouritism, cronyism, and nepotism fly in the face of good governance, accountability and democracy,” said Dr. Drew on Wednesday’s Issues programme.
Before listing the stark evidence Dr. Drew informed listeners that favouritism is favouring a person not because he or she is doing the best job but rather because of some extraneous feature-membership in a favoured group, personal likes and dislikes and is demonstrated in hiring, honouring, or awarding contracts.
“Cronyism is a more specific form of favouritism, referring to partiality towards friends and associates. Cronyism occurs within a network of insiders- the “good old’ boys,” or the boys club who confer favours on one another.
Nepotism is an even narrower form of favouritism. Coming from the Italian word for nephew, it covers favouritism to members of the family,” he said.
While Prime Minister Harris tries to divert attention by spewing out the words ‘good governance, accountability and every time and everywhere he opens his mouth, Dr. Drew made it abundantly clear he has no personal grudges against the Prime Minister and members of his family, but the evidence has to be submitted when Dr. Harris lies to the public that members of his family were in the same positions prior to the change of government and his appointment as Prime Minister in mid February 2015.
“That is a blatant and outright lie. Dr. Harris’ sister who is in charge of the government payroll was not in that position before the change of government on February 15th. It was only after Dr. Harris became prime minister that she was transferred and appointed to that new position,” said Dr. Drew.
“Another sister of Prime Minister Harris was not the Magistrate prior to the change of government. She was appointed after Dr. Harris became prime minister,” said Dr. Drew who added that there was no advertisement for the vacant post.
He referred to another brother of the Prime Minister, who was manager of the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, but who was on suspension during an internal investigation before the change of administration..
“When Dr. Harris reinstated him after the election, the post of manager was changed to CEO with a nearly 200 percent salary increase. Prime Minister Harris lied to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said Dr. Drew.
“Lie # 4. Prime Minister Harris’ brother at Her Majesty’s Prison was a Prison Officer prior to the general elections. After the elections, Dr. Harris, who is in charge of the civil service and the Minister of National Security, ensured that that brother was promoted and appointed Chief Prison Officer. Again Prime Minister Harris is caught lying again,” said Dr. Drew, who also referred to a nephew of Dr. Harris who has been hired at his private residence as a butler/gardener earning a monthly salary of EC$5,000, although the entire yard space is made of concrete.
“Was he a butler/gardener before the elections? No. It was only after the election and Dr. Harris, his uncle, became prime minister that that nephew was appointed,” said Dr. Drew, pointing out “There are head teachers of schools and persons working for the Team Unity Government with masters’ degrees and who are not even making EC$5,000 per month.”
Dr. Drew also referred to one of Prime Minister Harris’ brother in law, who was promoted to a new post in which he never even acted before.
“He was awarded back pay which cost the Treasury tens of thousands of dollars,” said Dr. Drew.
Dr. Drew also provided further evidence that Prime Minister Harris has appointed members of his family as directors on Statutory Boards, corporations or entities where the Federal Government is majority or sole shareholder.
“A family member is a director on the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) Board, another Harris family member is on the St. Kitts Electricity Company (SKELEC) Board; another Harris family member is on the Board of the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA); another Harris family member is a director on the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Board,” said Dr. Drew, who also pointed out too that Dr. Harris’ brother who is the CEO at the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis is also a director on the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board.
“Were each of these family members on Boards prior to the February 2015 general election?” asked Dr. Drew, who said that there is an abundance of evidence that Prime Minister Harris has been lying to the people of the Nation.
Dr. Drew also alluded to other falsehoods being told to the nation on the economy and crime.
Although Prime Minister Harris beats his chest of a robust economy, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) statistics point to contraction of the economy in 2016. From a projected five percent growth in GDP, there have been two revisions, first to 3.02 percent then a revised estimate of 2.84 percent of GDP in January 2017.
Dr. Drew also highlighted the issue of crime. Although Prime Minister Harris has been thumping his chest stating publicly that there was a decrease in crime, police statistics shocked the Nation when it was disclosed that crime increased nearly 60 percent in 2016 compared to 2015.
The total number of reported crimes in 2016 was 1643, compared to 1048 in 2015, with a triple digit increase in shootings and double digits increase in murder, break-ins, larceny, indecent assault, rape, unlawful carnal knowledge, non-firearm wounding, arson and drug-related offences.
Photo 1 – Dr. Terrance Drew
Photo 2 – Dr. Timothy Harris
