Resignation of Howard McEachrane as National Bank chairman confirmed

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JULY 24th 2017 – Confirmation that Howard McEachrane, Chairman of the National Bank Board of Directors has resigned, has come from a director.

“I can also assure that being Chairman is a heavy and time consuming responsibility which can weigh on persons of Howard's and my age. I therefore have no intention of throwing my hat in the ring,” said director, Mr. William “Willie” Liburd, a former National Bank chairman, who served in that position during the tenure of the PAM administration headed by former Prime Minister The Right Excellent and the Right Hon. Dr. Sir Kennedy Simmonds.

Mr. Liburd’s statement was posted on the sknyahoogroups.com chat groups and has been seen.
He gave no date when Mr. McEachrane’s resignation takes effect, but a reliable source said he officially leaves in August.

The new National Bank Board was elected at an Extraordinary General Meeting on April 21st 2015.
Mr. McEachrane’s resignation follows the departure of prominent nationals appointed to several state-owned and controlled institutions and statutory corporations by the 28-month old Timothy Harris PLP/CCM/PAM administration.

Word that Mr. McEachrane had submitted his resignation from the financial institution, first came last Wednesday from chairperson of the opposition St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), Hon. Marcella Liburd.

Ms.  Liburd, parliamentary representation for St., Christopher 2 (Central Basseterre), is of the view that the spate of resignations is due to the “incompetence and arrogance that continue to affect every department and ministry of government as well as institutions in this country. More and more persons are fed up with the interference and have become so frustrated that they are leaving.”

First to leave was Prime Minister Harris’ first press secretary, Mr. Clecton Phillip, less than one year of taking office. Dr. Harris had denied the pending resignation.

Speaker Franklin Brand, elected in May 14th 2015 resigned on April 28th 2016, short of completing one year in office to become eligible for a pension. Prime Minister Harris and the Attorney General Byron had previously denied Brand’s resignation.

Mr. Vernon Harris, chairman of the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Trust Company resigned effective April 30th 2016.

Chairperson of the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board, Ms. Martiza Bowry, resigned in the face of political pressure to release the full sum of EC$41 million of Social Security funds to the National Housing Corporation (NHC) for NHC housing project which was not finalised at the time.

There have been two resignations from the state-owned ZIZ Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) by chairman, Mr. Douglas Wattley, then Chairman of Prime Minister Harris’ Peoples Labour Party (PLP) and the deputy chairperson and acting chairperson, Mrs. Avenice Thompson.

The Chief Financial Officer at the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) resigned. His successor resigned after a few months on the job. Dr. HallaSahely, Fitz Boncamper from the Planning Board, a judge of the High Court and persons from several other ministries and departments have also resigned.

Photo 1 – Mr. Howard McEachrane

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