By Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Wednesday 17th January 2023) – “I was asking questions!” is the general response from wellknown political commentator Duncan ‘Big Lice’Wattley having received a letter from the lawyer representing government minister Konris Maynard relating to defamation claims.
In a night time live Facebook appearance on Wednesday 17th January 2023, he also questioned “Well who say that?! Nothing like that come out in de conversation!” while examining the contents of a 6-page letter served to him in the morning from John Brookes Law.
Wattley also told his audience which saw over 3000 viwers: “I come here tonight because me ain’t responding to this! I will go to court, I will go to jail before I respond to this!” “He [Konris Maynard] made some statements saying that I defamed his character I guess, and so I was served with a legal document today.
Hence, why I am here tonight because I believe this is a very serious indictment on our democratic right. All of a sudden in my beloved St. Kitts and Nevis, people cannot ask questions of their ministers of government; sitting ministers, and I believe this is beyond ridiculous.
My question is: What happen to de good governance agenda? What happen to all dem bills that being passed about Integrity in Public Life? I’m asking! This is a joke! Are we doing this just as a joke or are we serious?,” he stated.
Wattley during his appearance said he is “a political analyst; that’s my training, I will ask hard questions of any politician…” He spoke about responsibility in politics saying: “In politics, there is something called collective responsibility and individual responsibility. Collective responsibility basically speaks to the cabinet.
The doctrine of individual responsibility means that a minister is responsible to the parliament for the work of his department. The minister… is to be praised or blamed for that work. This doctrine is emphasised particularly at question time in parliament.
If found blame worthy, a minister may be censored, transferred or dismissed. If an error is made that is less serious, the minister may apologise. Each minister is therefore responsible and accountable for the actions of his ministry and its departments whether the minister authorise such actions or not.” Speaking more about the lawyer’s letter, he said: “I can’t believe that a lawyer gun write these things… because when they point out everything that I said where I did not allege , I asked a question, and so if Konris Maynard ‘I’m going to call his name now because he wrote me… .-if he is de minister of Public Works then who I question?” Wattley went on to mention that Maynard is also the sitting minister of Infrastructure and responsible for SKELEC “and so every question that I ask, I was asking the minister because he is responsible!
He is responsible!” – NEWS –
According to him: “You as a sitting minister must be questioned and nobody could tell me that in this life that I’m living why I can’t question a minister when people vote for you. You are accountable to the people! And so questions must be asked!” Front Page Image: Well-known political commentator Duncan ‘Big Lice’Wattley (Spokesman Screenshot from 17th January 2024 Facebook live session)
