By: Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Wednesday 7th June 2016)- The opposition Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) in adding its voice to the ongoing controversy of the Peter Virdee bribery scandal allegations directed at Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris, is calling on the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) led by Premier Mark Brantley to break up with the present three-party Team Unity Administration.
According to NRP: “It is our considered view that this sordid episode can and must be brought to a swift conclusion by the total withdrawal of CCM from the Team Unity Government (TUG). We therefore call on Premier and Party Leader of the CCM, the Hon. Mark Brantley to withdraw his party’s support for Prime Minister Harris. In so doing he will demonstrate that no person is above the law and that his outspoken commitment to integrity and ethics as fundamental principles of good governance are backed up by deliberate action. To do otherwise would not only signal his and his party’s collusion to keep Prime Minister Harris in office, but simultaneously render our nation’s motto “Country Above Self” meaningless.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday 5th June, labelling the allegations of corruption issue as being “very serious”, the opposition body on the sister isle of Nevis has joined its colleague party the St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) in calling for Dr. Harris to resign.
“These allegations are very serious and cannot be overlooked, diminished or swept quietly away. Notwithstanding the real potential of criminal prosecution by the UK Government of Prime Minister Harris, the immediate problem posed to our fragile and fledgling democracy is his apparent flagrant violation of the peoples’ trust and the desecration of ethical rules of engagement in high office. In the circumstances therefore, The NRP also calls for the immediate and unconditional resignation of Prime Minister Harris,” part of the statement read also.
The opposition body has further expressed the alleged imagery being portrayed of the Federation of St.Kitts and Nevis.
“Never in our modern history have the eyes of the world had occasion to examine us through this dark prism of corruption as they do now. The damage to our country’s reputation must be quickly healed, the confidence in our legislative and other institutions of state must be restored and our peoples must once again be allowed to confront the future with a renewed sense of purpose and optimism that there can and will be Integrity in Public Life.”
The Team Unity Government is made up of members of the People’s Action Movement-PAM (four seats), the CCM (two seats) and the People’s Labour Party-PLP led by Dr. Harris with one seat.