Parliamentary debate in St. Kitts and Nevis has taken on a markedly different tone, with members of the public complimenting the reduced disagreements between opposing Members of Parliament (MP), constructive debates, and the efficient functioning of House sittings.
Attorney General (AG), the Honourable Garth Wilkin, shared insight into the current dynamic within the parliament on Wednesday’s (June 21, 2023) edition of the radio and television programme InFocus, which airs live on ZIZ radio and television.
“I’ve made public statements in parliament very early on that our style of parliament is going to be very different to the styles of parliament in the past,” AG Wilkin said. He noted that the spirit of cooperation is encapsulated in the words shared by the Opposition MP for Nevis #11, the Honourable Alexis Jeffers during the June 20, 2023, Sitting of the National Assembly.
“I have said in the past that whenever there is legislation been debated and passed here in the parliament, and I can support, I will support, and this is one such Bill,” Honourable Jeffers stated, referring to the four Cannabis related Bills passed this week.
Honourable Wilkin said that draft Bills from the Attorney General’s Chambers are designed to benefit the population of St. Kitts and Nevis and are buttressed by the Constitution. While everyone may not agree, the will of the people who are represented by various MPs must be considered.
“It isn’t that we are sending this legislation to the Opposition and saying we want you to support. We are bringing the legislation, and because it is good legislation that benefits all of their constituents, then you can take the politics out of it for a little bit, and you can give your views like they did with the good governance (legislation),” AG Wilkin said.
One of the signature moments of cooperation was witnessed in November 20022 when Opposition MP for St. Christopher #5, the Honourable Shawn Richards, seconded the movement of a government Bill – The Evangelistic Faith Church St. Kitts (Incorporation) Bill.
“That’s democracy,” the attorney general expressed. “You fight when you need to fight; you do the politics when politics needs to be done, and when you come to do the people’s business, you do the people’s business.”