Opposition MPs blast St. Kitts and Nevis PM Harris over scathing attack on Barak Obama

Photo 1- The Hon. Barak Obama

BASSTERRE, ST. KITTS(February 16^th 2017) – Two Members of the Parliament, representing the opposition St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP in the National Assembly have blasted St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris for his scathing attack on former United States President Barak Obama.

Holding up a Team Unity manifesto at a government-sponsored Town Hall Meeting, Prime Minister Harris compared his two-year-old government with the performance of Barak Obama’s two terms (8 years.)

Photo 2 – Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris

“I challenge Obama to put his record with ours. There is no government in the world; no government in the world that has been able to compare with us in terms of delivery. I heard Obama wail of the non fulfilment in relation to many of the things he had promised. What has happened after 8 years? What has happened? Not a whole lot for the Black people in America to change their circumstance in city after city. That was a president who had 8 years in office. We have not even reach two years yet,” said Harris said to a stunned audience that a black prime minister was verbally attacking the former US President.

Photo 3 – Hon. Nigel Carty

Labour Party senator, Hon. Nigel Carty said the statement by Prime Minister Harris was unfortunate as they were made “those scathing statements in relation to Obama, the first Black President of the United States of America and during the celebration of Black History Month.”

“This I believe was a calculated attack to show who Timothy Harris really is. Timothy Harris has no respect for anybody at all,” said Carty,

“This statement against Barak Obama was only to belittle the former US President and the contribution that he has made not only in America, but around the world and the pride that he has brought to people of colour all over the world,” said Carty on Wednesday’s edition of Issues on Freedom 106.5 FM and Kyss FM 102.5 FM.

Mr. Carty, a former Minister of Education and Information said Barak Obama is not only admired for his blackness.

“He is a man of immaculate intelligence and judgement and he was a president who brought honour to the office in which he served. For Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris to have gone down that road, in my view is calculated and a burning shame,” said Mr. Carty, who accused the St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister of unfairly comparing Barak Obama’s 8 years in office to Harris’ two years of “non performance, non delivery and a betrayal of the trust of the people because in the two years –  750 days – since Harris has been in office, he has failed to even take up and run with those basic pieces of legislation and polices that he promised to do in the first 100 days.”

“I believe that Timothy Harris is shameless, and should be called out for what he really is. He will stop at nothing and do anything and everything for the sake of politics. He has demonstrated to the world and more importantly to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis that he has no values, no moral compass and would say anything, anywhere that he thinks that will give him what he wants. The attack on Obama is unfair, uncalled for and disrespectful.

Photo 4 – Hon. Konris Maynard

Parliamentary Representative for West Basseterre (St. Christopher 3), Hon. Konris Maynard said the remarks by Prime Minister Harris is an indication that he was disillusioned and accused him of belittling the contribution of the former US President “who by his very election had given hope across the entire globe about the positions that one can rise to.”

“While there is no legacy for Harris and his Team Unity Government, Obama will be able to stand firm and say that he was the one to thaw relations between the United States and Cuba,. He was the one to help negotiate an international nuke deal with Iran, saved Americans after the great financial and economic depression, which resulted in a lasting impact throughout the whole word. Had that not happen, we would still be suffering,” said Maynard.

He said Prime Minister will be remembered only for taking VAT off of some foods.

“What will the Harris legacy be? There is none.  What has changed in our tourism product? What has changed in our manufacturing sector? What has changed in local and foreign investments? What new projects have come on stream? Do we have universal healthcare? Do we have legislation that promotes good governance, transparency and accountability? asked MP Maynard, adding: “Harris and his Team Unity Government have nothing to place on their legacy scorecard.”