Last Updated on August 26, 2019, 12:17 PM AST by Anthony Morris
St Kitts and Nevis’ National Security Advisor, Major General Stewart Saunders has confirmed recent statements by Leader of the Opposition, the Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas that gang members are being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars.
While Saunders stopped short of admitting that the payments are being made to them to stop commit crimes and for turning in guns and ammunition to the police, the national security adviser also confirmed a further disclosure by former prime minister Douglas that the payments to the gang members are being made via the Development Bank of St Kitts and Nevis, headed by Dr Harris’ brother, Lenworth Harris.
“If this is a programme of paying violent gang members money to stop committing crime, then we all need to know because the money is coming from the taxpayers of St Kitts and Nevis,” said Dr Douglas, who made it absolutely clear that if that is what it is “we must know where in the government is this programme based.”
“Is it in the Office of the Prime Minister or is it in the Office of the Minister of National Security? Who are the facilitators of this programme? Who are the programme managers? What is the role of the Development Bank of St Kitts and Nevis in this particular programme? What is the role of the Bank? Is it that we are having for example, monies being paid from the Office of the Prime Minister or from the Ministry of National Security into the Development Bank and then the monies are disbursed from the Development Bank or is it that it is coming from the Treasury? We need to know and we demand answers not only as citizen of St Kitts and Nevis but as Members of the Parliament of St Kitts and Nevis,” Dr Douglas on August 20, 2019.
In a statement after Dr Douglas’ expressed concern during his weekly radio programme “Ask the Leader,” the Office of the Prime Minister quotes Saunders as admitting that the gang members are being paid but “for legitimate work under an approved government initiative.”
The Leader of the Opposition had also raised concern of blatant nepotism being practiced by Prime Minister Harris.
Dr Douglas said on August 20: “If it is a situation where money is taken from the Treasury, money coming through the Office of the Prime Minister of Dr Timothy Harris, or it is money that is being taken from the Ministry of National Security or money that is coming directly from the Ministry of Finance, all of these ministries are held by Dr Timothy Harris, and if these monies are placed in the Development Bank of St Kitts and Nevis and disbursed from there, then is this not again a naked show of nepotism, especially when there is no accountability or transparency being given to the public with regard to making it publicly known to all of the people of St Kitts and Nevis?”
The office of Dr Harris said Dr Douglas was right when he stated that the funds were being channeled via the Development Bank of St Kitts and Nevis, which is headed by Dr Harris’ brother, Lenworth Harris.
“This particular fund is administered by the Development Bank of St Kitts and Nevis,” the PM office statement admitted on August 22 via the Press Unit.
“Where is the accountability and transparency? We demand answers. We need to know the budget and how much money has been allocated to this programme? We are for helping our young men but we cannot be left in the dark,” said Dr Douglas on August 20.
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.
