BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – The three-party coalition administration of Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris is “incompetent, inept and basically corrupt.”
“Corrupt to the core and is a spiteful government and hates people,” said former deputy prime minister, Dr. Earl Asim Martin, who on Wednesday documented “the blatant nepotism” that is taking place within the Team Unity Government.
His comments come prior to Friday’s sitting of the National Assembly which will see the Prime Minister’s niece, Akilah Nisbett, taking up the vacant post of Deputy Speaker of the lawmaking body. Nisbett was recently sworn in at Government House as a senator at which CCM and PAM factions of the three party coalition were absent.
Claiming that it is like “having a Harris Empire or a Harris Dynasty,” Dr. Martin who served for five terms in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly declared: “Everything in this country must be Harris again.”
Dr. Martin pointed to the recent dismissal of two senior officers of the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis and the promotion of a brother of the Prime Minister from General Manager to the newly created position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
“He is getting nearly EC$25,000 per month and still serves on the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board, where he gets an additional check” said Dr. Martin.
He pointed to a sister of the Prime Minister who was re-installed as Registrar of the High Court and Additional Magistrate since Dr. Harris was sworn in as Prime Minister.
“He makes another sister a Magistrate and a Director/Board Member at the St. Kitts Electricity Company (SKELEC) and earns $2,000 extra per month. Dr. Harris has also promoted another sister to head the Payroll Section of the Department of Human Resource which comes under the Office of the Prime Minister. Dr. Harris, as Minister of National Security, has also promoted another brother to the position of Principal Prison Officer. The Prime Minister’s nephew is a butler in his private residence earning a reported EC$5,000 monthly. Then there is the brother in law, promoted to the Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer post and given back pay with a lump sum and he never acted or served in that position before,” said the former Deputy Prime Minister.
“Another nephew is on the Board of the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC). Still another nephew is the Chairman of the Development Bank of St. Kitts,” said Dr. Martin, who disclosed that another nephew who provides MRI services to patients and held discussion on Tuesday to operate the CTScan machine at the JN France General Hospital, is also a service provider under the Citizenship by Investment Programme.
He also referenced another Harris brother who is increasing his heavy equipment pool and has been given all the work at the Park Hyatt construction site.
Also mentioned was the contract for the proposed National Heroes Park in Conaree, which was given to another member of the Harris family. Harris family members are also known to be involved in new companies or entities renting cars, selling ice, construction, renting tents, chairs and tables, transportation, tire sales and repair.
Nationals are also closely monitoring reports of a new Harris enterprise: a new bakery to compete with Fraites & Sons, Amory Bakery, Foulton Bakery, Bass Bakery and Island Bakery.
There is also word that the Harris family is to takeover the Social Security multi-million dollar Beacon Heights project.
Dr. Martin also pointed out that the deceased mother and father of Prime Minister Harris also benefitted from the money paid to former sugar workers from the grant given by the Government of Venezuela.
“There are people in St. Kitts and Nevis and who are alive and cannot receive their sugar money to date, but Dr. Harris’ mother and the father, who are dead received over EC$60,000 to share among the Harris family members,” said Dr. Martin, .
“This has to be an Empire or a Dynasty in the making. We have now come to see that in 20 short months, we have now concluded what he meant by Harris Again,” said Dr. Martin on Tuesday’s “Issues” on Freedom FM and Kyss FM.
“Other people must not eat. Other people must not live. If Dr Harris thinks that the Harris family is the only family that must eat in this country, he is making a sad mistake, because when the elections are call again, the people will give him a clear we no longer want a Harris Again in this country,” said Dr. Martin.
