Last Updated on December 2, 2019, 7:14 AM AST by Anthony Morris
St Kitts and Nevis; Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris continues to lie to the Nation on the charges on rampant nepotism.
In the hallowed halls of the National Assembly on Friday night, Dr Harris said that all of his brothers, sisters and other relatives were appointed and promoted during the Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) administration and when he took office they were in those same positions, a lie he has repeated at press conferences, interviews and in the National Assembly despite evidence to the contrary.
Dr Harris became prime minister following the February 16, 2015 General Elections.
According to the St Christopher and Nevis Official Gazette, Volume CXIV, No 13, dated March 7, 2019, Ms Delcia Mills-Blaize, a Senior Clerk in PM office, who is PM Dr Harris’ niece was appointed as an Executive Officer, PM office with effect from 1st January 2019.”
Another Gazette, Vol CXI of July 28, 2016, No 37, page 2, noted that the same niece, Delcia Mills-Blaize, was appointed as Senior Clerk at PM office with effect from April 1, 2016.
Dr Harris took over as the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis in February 2015. At that time Mills-Blaize was a Clerk in the Department of Labour. Shortly after, Mills-Blaize was transferred and appointed as Senior Officer in his office.
The facts are important to repeat:
1. Dr Harris’ sister, Janine Harris-Lake was the Registrar. Due to continuous complaints from lawyers as well as the St Kitts and Nevis Bar Association. In December 2013 she was re-deployed to her new position as Director of Legal Reform in the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs. When Dr Harris became prime minister, she sent her back to perform the duties of Registrar and Additional Magistrate.
2. Dr Harris’ sister, Donna Harris, headed the Legal Aid Unit prior to him becoming prime minister. After he became prime minister Donna Harris was appointed Magistrate. There was no advertisement for the post. Donna Harris is also on the Board of the St Kitts Electricty Company (SKELEC).
3. Dr Harris’ brother Lenworth Harris was General Manager of the St Kitts and Nevis Development Bank under the Labour government. He was on suspension from the post as an investigation was being conducted when the change of government took place. After Dr Harris became prime minister and minister of finance, Dr Harris sent him back to the bank and has since been apppointed to the newly created post of CEO. Dr Harris also appointed Lenworth Harris to be a director on the St Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board. The Development Bank of which he is CEO, also borrows money from the Social Security Board. Lenworth Harris is also on the Committee that distributed the US$16 million given by President Maduro of Venezuela to pay ex-sugar workers a gratuity.
4. On September 1, 2017, Dr Harris appointed a nephew, Alexis Nisbett, to be chairman of the St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank.
5. On November 18, 2017, Dr Harris had his nephew’s wife, Akilah, sworn in as a senator and deputy speaker of the National Assembly. Akilah is also the deputy political leader of Harris’ PLP.
6. Dr Harris has appointed a nephew, Big T, a butler to his private residence with a EC$5,000 a month salary.
7. Dr Harris has appointed another sister, Coretta Harris, then a senior clerk, Ministry of International Trade as Marketing Support Officer, National Entrepreneurial Development Division with effect from November 1, 2015. He has since appointed her Head of Payroll in the Department of Human Resource in the Office of the Prime Minister.
8. Dr Harris as Minister of National Security, appointed his brother, Denzil Harris, then a Prison Officer to several positions since he became prime minister. Denzil Harris, Principal Prison Officer was appointed Chief Prison Officer with effect from 1st April 2016. and has acted as Superintendent of Prisons.
9. His brother in law, Jermaine Lake was an Environmental Health Officer when Dr Harris became prime minister. Mr Lake was promoted and appointed Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer on 15 July 2015 with effect from 1st October 2014 and received back pay to 2014 for a post he was never appointed to previously.
10. Dr Harris has also appointed Ms Joycelyn Mitchum, mother of one of his daughters as Manager/Printer at the Government Printery.
Dr Harris’ nepotism is not just confined to public appointments. His family members have established businesses in the areas of construction, trucking, landscaping, ice making, security, car rentals, tent, table and chair rentals.
Dr Harris’ appointment of family members to managerial and senior posts in governmental institutions has become an issue of concern in the region.
Vincentian broadcaster and communication consultant Jerry S George has made it quite clear that he did not believe Dr Harris when he told him there was “no scintilla of evidence” that he (Harris) had appointed family members to top civil service positions.
George also said he did not believe Dr Harris when he (Harris) told him in an interview in St Vincent that all his family members in government or government controlled institutions were appointed by the previous Labour Party administration that he served for 18 years as a Cabinet minister.
“Did I believe him? No! Did I think that because he came from a big family and so many members of your family are in leading positions that that is a good thing for a country, a small country? No!,” replied George in a recent interview.
Speaking on one of the reasons why the majority of CARICOM states are yet to adopt the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final court of appeal, Nevisian student, Zidan Wilkin, solidified the basis of the moot by making reference to the prevalence of political nepotism that has tainted the judiciary and the misconduct of magistrates and judges.
Addressing what he labelled the incestuous relationship between the political directorate and the judiciary, Wilkin in his proposition pointed out that it should come as no surprise that Caribbean people have developed such a palpable distrust of the Caribbean Court of Justice.
“In St Kitts, the Prime Minister is Dr Timothy Harris. The Registrar of the High Court is his sister, Ms Janine Harris. The Magistrate is another sister, Ms Donna Harris and the Chief Prison Officer is his brother, Mr Denzil Harris. Everywhere you turn is Harris again and all of these appointments took effect since Dr Timothy Harris became prime minister in 2015,” Wilkin told the thousands attending or watching live coverage of the third night of the 47th Leeward Islands Debating Competition in Antigua.
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.
