Last Updated on October 21, 2019, 3:13 AM AST by Anthony Morris
A national of St Kitts and Nevis who said she was one of hundreds of PAM and Team Unity supporters who were jetted to St Kitts for the February 16, 2015 general elections, is accusing PLP leader and Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, PAM leader and Deputy Prime Minister Hon Shawn Richards and Chairman of PAM, Jonel Powell, of being “first-class hypocrites who used and abused their supporters over the years and to kick us in our backsides and discard us now they are in office.”
Lorraine Goodwin, the name she wants to use in this article, said she is “totally disappointed with the recent statements by PM Harris, PAM Jonel Powell and PAM leader Shawn” in relation to the Team Unity Government’s plans to disenfranchise nationals of St Kitts and Nevis who reside overseas from voting in the soon to be called general election.
“When you listen to them now and read the statements they are making, they are in sharp contrast to what they told us when they were up here and going around campaigning in 2013, 2014 and 2015 begging us, beseeching us to come home and vote for them. They never told us that after they flew us down to vote for them in 2015 that they would be so hypocritical to now want to stop us from voting in the next elections,” said Lorraine, who said she and five of her family members were among the persons flown into St Kitts by the Team Unity coalition to vote in 2015.
According to the passenger list QAI flight # QY225 departed Miami International Airport (MIA) on 15th February 2015.
“When I hear them now say that if we live in New York, in Miami, in Texas, in Canada, in St Thomas or in London and our children go to school there and we come home one, twice, three times or ten times a year, even pay taxes on our homes and land, pay utilities, support our families by sending home barrels and barrels of food and with all that, for them to say ‘is only a vacation we come on.’
Hello! When we were in St Thomas in 1993, we were told is Dr Kennedy Simmonds that made all that possible for us to live overseas and still maintain the right to vote. So what happen? Is this removing one of his legacies?, Just like that Harris taking back that right without proper consultation and discussion with us?” said Goodwin.
“We were told to thank Dr Harris and his Team Unity as the charter was paid for by him and the others last election,” she said.
“This (2015) is not the first time that me and other members of my family who are supporters of PAM were flown to St Kitts to vote. When we lived in St Thomas in 1993 and 1995, we were issued tickets. After we moved to the mainland, we were asked to go home and vote. We boarded charter flights and went home to vote for PAM in 2004 and 2010 and in 2015 for Shawn, Jonel, Timothy and Patches for Unity. Now they have tasted power, we who live overseas are now treated like dogs, like outcasts, used, abused and now abandoned,” she said in a private message.
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.
