By: Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Monday 29th March 2021) — Clinical psychologist and political influencer to the People’s Labour Party (PLP), Dr. Sharon-Ann Gopaul-McNicol sparked a major public discussion when she addressed the Team Unity National Convention on Saturday 27th March 2021 at Ottley’s Playfield, asserting that there is “no such thing as ‘it is my turn’” in a coalition government. “The coalition survives on the strength of the leadership — and as such there is in fact no such thing as another party’s turn,” she said.
PLP is one of the three coalition partners of the present Team Unity government alongside the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) and the People’s Action Movement (PAM). The public had long understood that Team Unity’s leadership would rotate among the three parties after serving periods. Deputy Prime Minister and PAM Leader Shawn Richards had declared publicly in July 2020 that he intends to be the next prime minister — and the first from his hometown of Sandy Point.
Founding PLP chairman Douglas Wattley said Gopaul-McNicol’s presentation was “just a manifestation of what was on the mind of PM Harris,” adding: “Tim has always manoeuvred the situation for him to be considered as prime minister. Her presentation tells me that that hasn’t changed.” Wattley claimed Harris had secretly promised Richards that he (Harris) would serve until 2023 and then hand over before general elections are constitutionally due in 2025. “Have you not realised that the two terms talk is dead?” Wattley asked.
Former Deputy Prime Minister and PLP Deputy Leader, Ambassador Sam Condor, echoed the view that Harris is unwilling to relinquish power. “To back away from this is another new low Harris,” said his former colleague, noting that Gopaul-McNicol’s role was “to control the two parties in the coalition that have the required number of seats to form a government without Harris and his party.”