By: Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 20th April 2018) – Appearing on ‘Inside the News’ on WINNFM last Saturday morning (14th April), Deputy Chairperson-elect of the People’s Action Movement (PAM) Sheryl Reid-while in studio with other members of the newly-elected executive committee- addressed a public “mis-thought” about the Party in claiming that PAM is “not disappearing. We are fully alive.”
Notably, PAM makes up the largest party body within the current Team Unity Government and the administration being headed by a non PAM member (Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris of the People’s Labour Party-PLP) has long been the subject of criticisms concerning the Party’s functioning to uplift itself.
Following the 2015 General Election, on St.Kitts the PAM Party won four seats, the St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) won three and the newly-formed PLP led by Dr. Harris with his lone seat.
The government was then formed with PAM, PLP coupled with the two Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) seats on the sister isle Nevis.
Dr. Harris, a former senior member of SKNLP led by Dr. Denzil Douglas, was fired from that administration in January 2013 by then Prime Minister Douglas surrounding his public undermining of the then government of which he was a part of. Dr. Harris also held the post as SKNLP Chairman.
SKNLP Chairperson Marcella Liburd has long said that the present Opposition Leader Dr. Douglas is the “glue” which brought the Unity concept into being.
In giving further comments of WINN FM, Reid remarked: “We need members to be onboard with us. We need our PAM people with us in order for us to grow from strength to strength in order for us to strengthen as a party so that we may live for another 53 years. One of the things that I would like us to do is go on a membership drive and get back those PAM stalwarts who we have not seen in a while. We are going to make sure that we get back our people under the banner with us and so that we can also try our very best to empower them as well.”
PAM’s Public Relations Officer-elect Jonelle Rawlins spoke about upcoming events including the annual May Day festivity that would cater for the Party members to “meet and mingle and get back to where we were before.”
The Party’s Deputy Leader-elect Cindy Demming said the PAM has it work to in becoming stronger.
“Though we are in Unity, we are three separate entities with individuality and with separate identities so the People’s Action Movement, we have our separate identity, we have our work to do and so if we are going to be stronger by virtue of that, the Unity organisation of which we are a part of will be stronger but people try to say things to cause in-fighting and separation.”
She continued: “I proudly say I am a PAM and proud but by virtue that my party is part of Unity, I too is a part of Unity but of course when I hit the high ways and by ways I’ll spread PAM message so as to empower people and get more support for the People’s Action Movement so we can have more seats and so by virtue of that Unity will be stronger but we will be PAM with six seats and plus in Unity.”
Demming classified more PAM seats to mean betterment for people within the Unity construct.
“…three separate parties, three different ideologies but we came together as one to make the Unity administration stronger but we are here, we continue to hit the road in making sure PAM grows in terms membership and seats; the more seats the more empowerment for people and opportunities.”
SKKNLP Chairperson Marcella Liburd, speaking on the Party-sponsored ‘Issues’ Programme on Wednesday this week (18th April) gave her impression about the PAM executive-elect members’ radio appearance that past weekend.
According to her: “Timothy Harris has really made PAM completely irrelevant and they are now struggling to find their identity.”
She went on to say: “I found it amazing that they are all saying ‘I am a PAM, I am a PAM.’ Imagine a Party who in existence for over fifty (50) years, the executive now has to go on radio to convince themselves and the public that they are PAM; that is how much Timothy Harris has made them irrelevant and I hear what they say they are doing is real change; they are looking for real change. Well I thought they got it already. I thought they had the real change since 2015; I ain’t know they are still looking for real change.”
Liburd labelled the PAM Party as being weak pointing out that Dr. Harris is the leader of that Party.
“The truth is , I don’t know who would want to be following PAM at this time with respect because the leadership is weak. Politics is about strong leadership not weak leadership; people telling you that regardless of how many seats they win , Timothy Harris gonna be the leader. What sort of weakling we have here? Nobody follows that; that’s not attractive and so Timothy is really the leader of PAM and he has made them completely irrelevant and so they are now struggling to find their identity.”