PM Guilty of Contempt!

Guilty! is the verdict on our Attorney General Dennis Merchant. Last Friday August 7, 2009, the High Court convicted AG Dennis Merchant for Contempt of Court.

(Read more at http://www.cananews.net/news/131/ARTICLE/40739/2009-08-08.html)

It is true that the news of our guilty Attorney General has made history in the Caribbean. More alarming, is the fact that local media are not reporting the other side of the story - Prime Minister Douglas is the one who has put our Attorney General at fault.

The Prime Minister is the one that breached the injunction ordered by the Courts. Yet the AG is the legal office responsible for the Labour Government. Prime Minister Douglas knows this and still breached the injunction to let Dennis Merchant take the blame.

Prime Minister Douglas, your actions against Dennis Merchant are shameful.

The true news caption should read – Conspiracy & Contempt: PM Guilty!

PM Douglas, it is your guilt that will likely make Dennis resign as Attorney General.

PM Douglas, since you put others at risk when you don’t get your way – YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED

By This Concern, We Vociferate
SKN Students Engaged

A Group of Concerned students in the Federation who will not be SILENT to the urgent political issues of St Kitts and Nevis.

Crime: Tools for Revolution

Mr. Washington Archibald is the known social commentator and educator, who the Government recognized with renaming Basseterre Junior High School in his honour. Washie is also known as a teacher to many of us as well as to our parents.

Most are surprised that Mr. Washington Archibald no longer supports the leadership of Prime Minster Dr. Douglas. Whether the fallout is a political stunt is open to question, but their very public exchange cannot be ignored.

In his latest response, Washie cautions the public to be alert now that PM Douglas threatens to force a revolution in St. Kitts and Nevis. Washie said that it was a ‘lunatic explanation’ for PM Douglas to ‘…fight to stay in power even if it means a revolution which might mean bloodshed’. Washie then warns, ‘it is a very ominous statement coming from the leader of the government…and you know that the country is full of guns….’

(full article: http://www.sknvibes.com/elections/NewsDetails.cfm/9882)

SKN Students Engage Washie’s conclusion that, ‘The Prime Minister has given us cause to be afraid’

Revolution is no small event. Mr. Archibald is right that such threats end in violence and bloodshed. We especially have cause to be afraid when PM Douglas means that he will not leave office by such threats.

Added to this is the fact that the media is now subject to wrongful arrest and false imprisonment. For example, police arrested SKNVibes journalist Mr. Stachio Williams last December while trying to take photographs on the scene of a homicide. At the time he was standing across the road behind other onlookers, when he was approached by the Police Officer.

So the question that Mr. Washington Archibald needs to ask is this: what else can we do than be afraid, when right now the same PM Douglas holds monopoly power over both the Police Force and the Defense Force?

By This Concern, We Vociferate
SKN Students Engaged
sknstudentsengaged.blogspot.com
A Group of Concerned students in the Federation who will not be SILENT to the urgent political issues of St Kitts and Nevis.

Crime: Attack on Young People

Crime: Attack on Young People

Once again, we are called to speak out.

Last week we learned that the Police Force and the Attorney General were found guilty by the Courts for the wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and deprivation of property of SKNVibes journalist Mr. Stachio Williams.

Police arrested Williams last December while trying to take photographs on the scene of a homicide. At the time he was standing across the road behind other onlookers, when he was approached by the Police Officer.

We are called to speak out given that Mr. Stachio Williams is not much older than many of us. In fact, most know Stachio personally and applaud his example to young people as SKNVibes Chief Financial Officer.

The fact is that Stachio Williams suffered in this way because he is a young person. The police would certainly not subject Stanford Conway or Tonie Frederick to the same wrongful arrest and false imprisonment when they do the very same job.

Plain and simple, Stachio’s wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and deprivation of property is an attack on young people.

SKN Students Engage three (3) critical questions: What is gained? What is lost? What is next?

1) What is gained from them found guilty?

Stachio stated to WinnFM, “I’m not really concerned about the money here, my thing is just that to ensure that going forward the media and the Police have a good working relationship and the harassment and mistreatment that we’ve experienced in the past can come to an end”

2) What have we lost?

The Courts will decide June 12^th on the award in damages, but Stachio is right not to be concerned about the money. When our basic dignity is threatened it can never be about the money.

The guilty cannot repay for the wrongful arrest and false imprisonment.

In his own words Stachio says, “He didn’t just arrest me…he actually grabbed me by my pants…held me up like a common criminal in front of crowds of people, hundreds of people over there… handcuffed me and pushed me into their vehicle…”

3) What is next?

We should not forget what Stachio Williams had to suffer. Stachio was only doing his job to inform us on what happens in the community. After 23 young people were murdered last year, THE ANSWER IS NOT TO CRIMINALIZE YOUNG PEOPLE.

We speak out especially since the Government-owned media fails to widely report that the Police Force and Attorney General are found guilty.

SKN Students Engage this silence and speak out against ALL THOSE CULPABLE.

The Attorney General was named in the Court judgment because this is customary in all cases where Government liability arises.

Therefore the Police and the AG are NOT THE ONLY ONES GUILTY.

The chain of command points to the Minister of Information, Mr. Nigel Carty and the Minister of National Security, Prime Minister Dr. Douglas.

SKN Students Engage Mr. Nigel Carty on the FAILURE TO REPORT that the Police and AG are guilty.

SKN Students Engage PM Dr. Douglas on COMMANDS ISSUED TO THE POLICE and responsible law enforcement.

We will not be silent to the wrongful arrest and false imprisonment of young people.

By This Concern, We Vociferate
SKN Students Engaged
A Group of Concerned students in the Federation who will not be SILENT to the urgent political issues of St Kitts and Nevis.

Reshuffle Cabinet, Reshuffle the Questions

Dear Prime Minister Dr. Douglas,

You have failed to address our Health.

For weeks now we have all listened to how the lack of resources to the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) has left barely one truck to collect garbage for the whole of St. Kitts.

Those from the SWMC are not to be blamed when they confessed to the media that this lack is because the $5.5 million collected each year for the SWMC has not been released.

As you know PM Douglas, PILES OF GARBAGE on our streets is a national concern-And your failure to speak on this matter at your last Press Conference, August 27,2008, is therefore an urgent concern.

PM Douglas, it was your silence on August 8, 2008, that best shows that you have no intention to give account for the $5.5 million collected per year for the SWMC.

SKN Students Engage PM Douglas on the Cabinet reshuffle, August 8, 2008:

1.) Reshuffle the Blame – The Finance Minister is the official responsible for the collection of Government revenue & expenditure.

PM Douglas, after thirteen (13) years as Finance Minister, your decision to name Timothy Harris the new Finance Minister is questionable for two reasons:

a) At the very time the UN reports that “St. Kitts’ and Nevis’ debt is highest in the OECS” you failed to explain why Timothy Harris was named to the Finance position, which you alone have held in your Cabinet.

b) “St. Kitts’ and Nevis’ debt is highest in the OECS” means that you have failed as Finance Minister PM Douglas. Yet you attempted to convince us that your sudden willingness to be National Security Minister made you decide to reshuffle the Finance Ministry to Timothy Harris.

However, you have failed PM Douglas in the attempt to reshuffle the blame for the state of our economy. Your legacy is that after thirteen (13) years as Finance Minister “St. Kitts’ and Nevis’ debt is highest in the OECS”

2.) Reshuffle the Questions - PM Douglas, whereas it was your responsibility to give account of the $5.5 million as the Minister of Finance, Sustainable Development and Information & Technology, you have carefully attempted to avoid the question of the $5.5 million collected per year for the SWMC and the responsibility for PILES OF GARBAGE on our streets.

a) PM Douglas, with the PILES OF GARBAGE on our streets, you need to explain why you failed to give account of the $5.5 Million before you named Timothy Harris the new Finance Minister.

b) PM Douglas, you need to explain why you have reshuffled Cabinet in a way that makes it more difficult to obtain answers to the $5.5 Million collected per year for the SWMC.

For example, you first separated your position as the Minister of Finance, Sustainable Development and Information into three (3) parts but only kept responsibility for Sustainable Development. Then you deliberately named two (2) different Cabinet members to take on your responsibility; Timothy Harris as the new Finance Minister and Sam Condor as the new Information & Technology Minister.

PM Douglas, your tactic to reshuffle the questions means that in order for us to obtain answers to the PILES OF GARBAGE on our streets we must now track down three (3) Ministers including yourself:

i) Timothy Harris – named the new Minister responsible for the $5.5 Million collected per year for the SWMC.
ii) Sam Condor - named the new Minister responsible to inform & educate the public on Government supported initiatives, activities and intentions.
iii) Sustainable Development – the one Ministry that you kept PM Douglas means you are STILL the official responsible to provide management of the environment, “to prevent, mitigate and/or reverse environmental degradation”

Moreover, Public Health is a matter of National Security. As a medical doctor you know that the PILES OF GARBAGE on our streets form unhealthy conditions for the people of St. Kitts.


PM Douglas, you have failed to address our Health. In order to reshuffle the questions and avoid the critical issues in St. Kitts and Nevis you attempt to play musical chairs with Cabinet positions. We will therefore hold your entire Cabinet responsible for PILES OF GARBAGE on our streets. We will therefore hold your entire Cabinet responsible for the unaccounted $5.5 Million collected per year to the SWMC.

By this Concern, We Vociferate
SKN Students Engaged.
sknstudentsengaged.blogspot.com

A Group of Concerned students in the Federation who will not be SILENT to the urgent political issues of St Kitts and Nevis.

Clean Up Minister Martin

Dear Hon. Asim Martin,

Our streets are neither safe nor clean.

Several shootings have taken place in Newtown over the past six (6) weeks.

On the same Saturday night, two young people were murdered in three separate incidents when an 18-year old was shot multiple times in the street and a 24-year old was gunned down in a parked car.

As you know this DOUBLE HOMICIDE was 12 days ago.

As you know, PILES OF GARBAGE also flow onto the main road from these very streets. From Bakers Corner to the Fire Station PILES OF GARBAGE have made it unsanitary for us to live in Newtown.

Hon. Asim Martin, over $91 Million in recurrent expenditure is under your direction as the official responsible for National Security and Public Works-Yet our streets remain neither safe nor clean.

At the Press Conference last week Prime Minister Douglas however condoned your failure to make an address to the public on crime. This is NOT the appropriate response.

This is NOT the correct answer when you are the Minister of National Security and Public Works. Minister Martin since you are also our Parliamentary Representative in Newtown, you are especially responsible for the – DOUBLE HOMICIDE and PILES OF GARBAGE– that make our streets neither safe nor clean.

Minister Martin, your failure to make an address to the public demonstrates the lack of appropriate response time. Clive Bacchus raised this very concern earlier in the week in an interview on crime with a high-ranking police official from your Ministry. Bacchus rightly concluded that this failure has placed us in “an invidious position”

Minister Martin, we should not have to wait until PILES OF GARBAGE cover the streets of St. Kitts to hear that the garbage truck has broken down. As the official responsible for this matter, over $57 Million in recurrent expenditure since 2006 has been under your direction as the Minister of Public Works. To then have members from solid waste management confess on the radio to be under resourced with barely one garbage truck for the entire island is deplorable.

It is your failed decision-making that has placed us in this invidious position where the lack of response time to address the public – on DOUBLE HOMICIDE and PILES OF GARBAGE – have made Newtown streets neither safe nor clean.
And neither can the argument be made that you do not officially become Minister of National Security until the end of July- This is because not only did PM Douglas reveal at the Press Conference that notice of the vacancy was given a few months in advance, but the PM also stated that you have had to cover the post every time the former Minister was away and therefore are the first choice to take up full responsibility for the Ministry.

As a medical doctor, you also know the health risks that we are now subject to with the unsanitary PILES OF GARBAGE exposed on the streets, which is made more harmful to our health after all the rainfall this week.

As a medical doctor you also know that the unsanitary PILES OF GARBAGE form unhealthy conditions for the people of St. Kitts, which also falls under your responsibility in National Security- for Public Health is a matter of National Security.

We will NOT stand by as your neglected responsibility for the PILES OF GARBAGE make our surroundings unsanitary for us to live and now threaten Public Health. We will therefore provide for your action:

Minister Martin, because your lack of response has placed us in this invidious position, the unsanitary PILES OF GARBAGE which affect our health and surroundings will be relocated to your residence. This will be followed by the residence of PM Douglas whom appointed you responsible to keep our streets clean as the Minister of Public Works, for which you have not appropriately directed $57 Million in recurrent expenditure.

You can expect the PILES OF GARBAGE to be relocated to your residence if they are not removed from Newtown and the surrounding area by Sunday 20 July 2008.

By this Concern, We Vociferate
SKN Students Engaged.
sknstudentsengaged.blogspot.com

A Group of Concerned students in the Federation who will not be SILENT to the urgent political issues of St Kitts and Nevis.

SKN Students Engage: Youth, Women & Poverty

1 in 3 individuals in St Kitts and Nevis are poor.

Poverty is highest among individuals under the age of 25, with a higher proportion of women living in poverty than men.

SKN Students Engage:

“Why isn't the birth control pill widely used in St.Kitts/Nevis? Why does no one publicly advocate its use? Does no one realize that the cycle of poverty will be forever continued if women continually have babies at a very young age? So young in fact that they have not yet had a chance to complete their education, which everyone knows would give them a better chance at breaking the cycle of poverty.”

Our concern to women’s health could not be more relevant.

According to the World Bank 2003 report:

“A single cohort of adolescent mothers is estimated to cost society, in terms of forgone benefits from alternative uses of resources, more than US$2 million in St. Kitts and Nevis.”

We the young people are the custodians of the Federation and the trustees of future generations in St. Kitts and Nevis.

1 in 3 individuals in St Kitts and Nevis are poor, with this poverty highest among individuals under the age of 25 ---This is shameful.

Let us further explore measures to address this concern.

By this Concern, We Vociferate
SKN Students Engaged.
sknstudentsengaged.blogspot.com

Pass The Buck To Students for High Cost Of Living

It is very frustrating to hear St. Kitts officials point out that food prices are rising across the Caribbean. This is not the appropriate response.

This is NOT the correct answer when 1 in 3 individuals in St Kitts and Nevis are poor.

The depth of this irresponsible statement is by the fact that we the young people are the poorest in the Federation. Poverty is highest among individuals under the age of 25 with a higher proportion of women living in poverty than men.

Worse yet this 2000 UNDP poverty assessment stands 8 years before rising food prices now further impact our condition.

Students are poor almost by definition. Either we are poor while attending school or poor while trying to pay the debt we accumulate after going to study.

But the buck still falls on students in St Kitts and Nevis, when officials pass off responsibility for rising food prices to a Caribbean experience.

A good example is carnation milk in St. Kitts. After weeks of shortage at the grocery we see the price increase to $2.00 per can. For years the price was controlled by the government and should have remained so. Students don’t have to think long to know how we will feel this difference. Every one of us remembers how that bowl of cereal would have to do the job while short on money at school. And those of us who have graduated from cereal for dinner will see the difference in every food that uses milk; after work we might have to get 1 raisin roll instead of 2, since we are still poor while paying debt after going to study.

Think about the difference for single mothers and fathers giving their children milo and porridge in the morning. Not to mention how all our grandparents love a hot ovaltine! For years the price of milk was controlled by the government and should have remained so.

But there could NOT be a real shortage if Nevis had milk and enough milk to ship supplies to St. Kitts.

The Nevis Island Administration’s attention to food security must be commended; this is a good example to argue that Nevis should have more Federal seats to allow better government decision-making for all of us.

In fact NIA’s prudence to provide milk for St Kitts and Nevis should impress upon Dr. Timothy Harris, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Unless Nevis’ achievements are to receive no mention from St. Kitts (as usual).


Even more is to be desired after Minister Harris’ comment on radio this past weekend about Sen. Obama’s Democratic nomination. This official pointed out that while it was no small achievement “the truth is that to date there has been no real comforting statement as far as foreign policy implications for the Caribbean region under an Obama’s presidency is concerned”

To avoid the nomination having only what he called “emotional significance” Minister Harris went on to say that it prompted him to write a letter to Sen. Obama.

This is NOT the correct answer.

There is a reason why no other leader in the Federation made such a statement in the radio segments that followed Harris’ comment. This is because the historic moment is yet to be fully appreciated. The NRP’s Dwight Coizier and CCM’s Mark Brantly from Nevis-based political parties as well as PAM’s Lindsay Grant in St. Kitts recognized this moment and rightly joined the chorus of applause and admiration for Sen. Obama’s nomination.

It is NOT the appropriate response for Minister Harris to glide over congratulatory remarks in favor of the usual longwinded statement. Worse then is it for Minister Harris to expect that during state primary elections the Obama campaign would offer Caribbean foreign policy implications.

There is also a reason other Ministers of Foreign Affairs across the Caribbean did not join Minister Harris to detract from Obama’s Nomination as mere “emotional significance”

Since this fact is known by the other Ministers of Foreign Affairs and since Sen. Obama has little time to waste the answer is this Minister Harris; After 911 the Caribbean region has again taken on strategic significance for the US as it had during the Cold War. Therefore USAID has amplified strategic support to the Caribbean and this existing structure is already in place for the next US president.

It doesn’t take all the letters behind Minister Harris’ name to know this. Even as the Minister’s comment better shows a thinly veiled desire to be verbose, Harris’ comment is an embarrassment to our Foreign Affairs and detracts from the historic moment we all now share.

Dr. Harris would do well to note that young people make Obama’s campaign forceful, especially students just like us.

Before Dr. Harris detracts from Sen. Obama’s historic campaign, Nevis’ generosity to provide milk for food insecurity in St. Kitts should hold attention. Dr. Harris would also do well to note that such food insecurity removed Haiti’s Prime Minister from office not too long ago this year.

Haiti’s young and poor people will tell you that Passing the Buck/Responsibility is NOT the answer.

Opposition Political Parties, you have therefore provoked our interest -

SKN Students Engage Opposition CCM Leader Hon. Mark Brantley:

The Nevis Island Administration demonstrated prudence, which allowed Nevis to provide the people of St Kitts with milk when the St Kitts government failed by poor decision-making to provide us such food security.

Yet with 1 in 3 individuals poor in the Federation, and with this poverty highest among individuals under the age of 25, what is CCM’s answer to avoid the burden of high cost of living to students in St Kitts and Nevis?

On the radio you sent congratulations to Sen. Obama and made an appeal that a similar style of conciliatory politics would take place in the Federation. Is CCM’s answer to have more seats at the Federal level for Nevis?


SKN Students Engage Opposition PAM Leader Hon. Lindsay Grant:

With 1 in 3 individuals poor in the Federation, and with this poverty highest among individuals under the age of 25, what is PAM’s answer to avoid the burden of high cost of living to students in St Kitts and Nevis?

On the radio you sent congratulations to your former schoolmate Sen. Obama and success in the upcoming Presidential Election. It is young people that make Obama’s campaign forceful, especially students like us. What is PAM’s answer when the St Kitts government’s failure first led to no milk available in St. Kitts and now an increased price for milk, a product which should have remained under price control for students and the poor in general?


By This Concern, We Vociferate
SKN Students Engaged
sknstudentsengaged.blogspot.com