Last Updated on September 27, 2019, 3:33 AM AST by Anthony Morris
“Rampant corruption and wide-spread money laundering are the hallmarks of the administration and the only way to bring it to an end is to vote the government out of office. There is no other way. The people need to know how the taxes received and how the assets of their nation are being hoarded into the private accounts by family members, their close relatives and friends who are now millionaires in less than five years while pretending to be giving pittance to the rest of the nation for their survival,” said a resident with first name LH.
In an unsolicited statement, the individual, who requested anonymity indicated that he has become more concerned about what is happening by listening to Douglas Wattley’s weekly discourse “The Rebuttal” on Kyss 102.5 FM on Wednesday nights. Wattley is the former chairman of the co-ruling People’s Labour Party (PLP).
“From what he has said publicly and unchallenged, and the concerns expressed by many others privately, the nationals of St Kitts and Nevis should be very much concerned about the state of affairs,” said the individual, who resides overseas. He has requested anonymity for fear of victimization of his family members who work in the public service.
The person is of the view that the “foundation for the widespread money laundering now rampant in St Kitts and Nevis began with the removal of several senior civil servants including the unceremonious dismissal of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Travers Sinanan, police inspector James Sutton, prison chief, Juni “Scrape” Hodge and Commissioner of Police, Ian Queeley.
Travers Sinanan was terminated with immediate effect in July 2015, four months after the change of administration which took office in February 2015. Inspector James Sutton, a veteran white-collar crime investigator with nearly 30 years in the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force was transferred as head of the White Collar Crime Unit to Division “B” as Sub-Commander and Supervisor Criminal Investigations in Sandy Point and replaced by a person of lower rank. Travers and Sutton were pursuing allegations of money laundering allegations involving top government officials. The status of those investigations is unknown.
Hodge was sent on vacation in 2017 and remains on vacation and receives a full salary monthly.
Queeley was placed on vacation and then long leave for nearly a year before he officially retired on August 31, 2019. He has been appointed as OECS High Commissioner to Morocco from September 1, 2019.
“I certainly agree with Douglas Wattley there needs to be a change of government to end the rape of the country’s resources,” wrote LH, who referred to a recent programme in which Wattley expressed concern that all the money in the country is in the hands of one family, which also has a high-level of control in the prison, electoral, social security and judicial systems.
“When the government changes, all I want (Denzil) Douglas to do is to put some forensic auditors, forensic accountants to stand up outside the door and give them carte blanche, give them wide latitude to go in and follow every penny in and out of the bank,” said Wattley.
“I hear a lot of money passing through. I done hear a lot of money washing. I hear money laundering like a laundromat,” said the former PLP chairman who added that all of the one million dollars is not going into the pockets of gang members.
“Money a detour, money turning corners, checks are being written and nobody knows what the checks are for. Checks are being written and no work is done to get that money,” said Wattley.
“Dem boys turn this country into a crime syndicate,” said Wattley. “If you want to know what is happening in your government, vote for a change.”
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.
