BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Friday 29th October 2021) – His name is not expected to be on the ballot for leadership at the party’s upcoming electoral conference but despite this hot topic for many people, Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition and current Political Leader Dr. Denzil Douglas is putting focus on calling on voters of the country to let the St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) take leadership in government after the next general elections.
In an exclusive virtual interview with WPG 10 of the neighbouring island of Grenada aired on Saturday 23rd October 2021, the former Prime Minister disclosed his intentions as it relates to making way for new leadership of the party while appearing on ‘The Narrative’ show, interviewed by Calistra Farrier.
“We need to make sure that if we’re going to win the next election given now what appears to be disunity in the Unity coalition, Labour must have its act well put together. We are making leadership change at a critical time not only in the history of the party but also at a critical time in the cycle of elections for St.Kitts and Nevis,” said Dr. Douglas who is also the Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Six.
This media house notes that there are three names in the category of SKNLP leadership namely Parliamentary Representative for Constituency One Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, caretaker for Constituency Eight and Party Chairman Dr. Terrance Drew and caretaker for Constituency Three Konris Maynard.
Dr. Douglas, however, will remain the Leader of the Parliamentary opposition and representative for Constituency Six.
“ The new leadership must settle down. The bickering between our various supporters over which of the leaders would eventually emerge as the national political leader that must come to an end. We must show complete unity, togetherness, oneness and among all of our comrades,” Dr. Douglas advised.
As outlined by him during the interview, for the 90 years of the party’s existence, he has led it for 32 years, asking the interviewer: “Isn’t that a long time?”
He explained: “So what is happening here is that the party is getting ready to go into its annual National Conference in November and one of the important aspects of this conference; in fact it has been dubbed an electoral conference because we are hoping to elect the new leadership, a new executive of the St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party for the next two, and it is now at the moment a situation where I have declined in advance of the balloting that takes place in November so in the preparations that we’re having I would hope not to be on the ballot…”
Dr. Douglas said he does not have any bad blood with any of his SKNLP colleagues.
“I must make it clear that I am not in any bad blood with any of my colleagues at the [upper] level or lower level. We are in this together and we intend to ensure that we work fervently, we must work in togetherness so that we can replace this government which has failed the people of St.Kitts and Nevis.”
The SKNLP political leader, in questioning the government’s claim about an economy of success, asked “Why are we having so much hardship among our people?” as he listed areas such as unemployment, unavailable basic necessities , no money for basic utilities, children going to sleep hungry at nights, a missing proper plan to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and many debts.
Dr. Douglas accused the government of “poor management of the country.”
According to him: “The government, it is individual; the government is broken.”
The SKNLP conference is slated to take place on Sunday 28th November 2021