Last Updated on August 1, 2019, 2:38 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Operation’s Rescue Dwyer Astaphan is raising questions about the recent visit to Morocco by a delegation from St Kitts and Nevis led by Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris.
Hosting his weekly radio programme “The Operating Room” on Tuesday night, Astaphan, a former government minister also wants to know “Who was the mystery lady” who accompanied the delegation to Rabat and whose name was not mentioned in the list of persons who travelled with the party.
The delegation listed by the Office of the Prime Minister comprised of Federal Minister of Infrastructure Ian Patches Liburd; Ambassador to CARICON and the OECS, Sidney Osborne; Special Envoy in the Office of the Prime Minister, Michael Powell and Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Andrew Skerritt.
“What was the purpose of the visit to Morocco? Was it a state visit or was it a visit to raise money for the upcoming elections or something else? Was it a visit to meet business people to try to bring investors here? If so, were the hospitality and security protocols of the Morocco government requested and obtained by the delegation?” Astaphan asked.
“When was the Minister of Foreign Affairs informed of that visit? Was he informed at all? Why was he not included in the delegation and if he was informed was he informed at the emergency cabinet retreat that followed shortly after we spoke on this radio station about the prime minister’s trip to Nevis without having informed (Premier of Nevis) Mark Brantley,” Astaphan further asked.
He said he has been told that one of the purposes of the cabinet retreat was to discussed that “because it was ventilated in the public square. “Was Brantley informed then in a indirect way – ‘Am going Morocco and I am taking these persons with me,” said Astaphan, who was one of the major driving forces in the formation of the Team Unity coalition and government,
Now a severe critic of prime minister Harris and his three-party coalition, Astaphan also wanted to know what was the purpose of the minister of public works and the two ambassadors.
Astaphan wanted to know what work ambassador Osborne and envoy Powell, who hosts a political talk show on one of the radio stations under the control of the Team Unity Government “to earn the thousands of dollars they get from the tax payers of St Kitts and Nevis.
“I see these two gentlemen mostly on TV attending press conferences of the prime minister. Mr Powell has a regular radio show on which he engages in political propaganda. I do not believe an ambassador should be getting involved in the political propaganda game and being on a radio station, once and twice a week, propagandizing for a government. An ambassador must operate on a diplomatic basis in all things which he or she does, publicly or otherwise to serve the interests of all the people of the country,” said Astaphan, who also pointed out that Ambassador Jonel Powell is a candidate for the PAM, one of the parties in the coalition.
“In my view, if one is going to be a candidate or a political propagandist, you should not also be an ambassador. Articulate the state’s position and interests on behalf of all the people of the state,” Astaphan said.
Asking if the visit to Morocco was a joyride, Astaphan said the peoplYvonnee of the country need to know if it was paid by the state, pointing out a trip to the Philippines by prime minister Harris to get an award and infrastructure minister Ian Patches Liburd, cost the taxpayers of St Kitts and Nevis EC$80,000.
“Information reaching us, indicates that a lady accompanied the delegation to Morocco. Who is that lady, if a lady accompanied them? Was she a part of the official delegation? Was she a personal friend of one of the persons in the delegation? What was her business on that trip, if in fact a female went on that trip?” he asked stating he was not talking about a female from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Office of the Prime Minister.
“Persons in public office have to act transparently and to account for their activities,” Astaphan contended.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
