Photo Caption: Former Prime Minister and SKNLP’s constituency representative for #1, Dr. Asim Martin
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – Former Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Earl Asim Martin is giving the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity/PAM Government an F – for failing to maintain the safety of the citizens of St Kitts and Nevis.
The subject of crime is being discussed on the talk shows over the past weeks. It increased last week Friday, following the 27th murder – the third in the past week – when businesswoman Arlene Nisbett was gunned down when she and her business partner were depositing money bags at the Royal Bank of Canada Branch in the Valu Mart Shopping Complex.
The Federation has also been hit with several high profile armed robberies, rapes and burglaries.
Now Dr Martin wants two ministers in the Timothy Harris-led PLP/CCM/PAM Government who have issued public statements to take their concerns on the issue of crime to the Cabinet.
“Based on what is happening with the crime situation in the country today, Lindsay Grant, the Minister of Tourism should call for the removal of Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris as the Minister of National Security. If Grant wants to be consistent with the statement that he posted on his FaceBook page, Grant should call for the removal of Timothy Harris. Grant needs to take it a step further. Grant needs to it where it needs to go. Grant did it in 2006 when he called for the removal of then Minister of National Security, Dwyer Astaphan,” said Dr Martin.
He said that Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Mark Brantley should also take the crime issue to the Harris-led Cabinet.
“Tell them in Cabinet we want Timothy Harris to be removed as the Minister of National Security and if they want to take it further, they can also ask that Harris step down as Prime Minister, because he deserves to be removed as the Prime Minister of this country,” said Dr. Martin.
He said crime continues to be a non-political issue and is for all the people to resolve.
“It is not a political issue. It is not alone for me to solve. It is not alone for Douglas to solve. It is not for Grant alone to solve. It is for all of us – the social partners to sit at the table as equal partners and come up with the solutions to the problems and to be clear in our minds that it will not be solved overnight,” said Dr. Martin, who urged Prime Minister Harris to accept the continued suggestion of Leader of the Opposition, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas for a national consultation on crime to be convened.
