Drew launches Manifesto of prosperity and stability
PRIME MINISTERIAL CANDIDATE Dr Terrance Drew Wednesday night unveiled his St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party’s (SKNLP) five-year compact with the CARICOM twin-island state less than two weeks ahead of the August 5th polls when he launched its half decade Manifesto which promises sweeping economic and social improvement.
“One of our first task will be to sit with food importers and devise a mechanism for containing the prices of key essential items,” Dr. Drew promised.
“We are not talking here just about food….and the basket of popular goods. We are talking about life’s necessities. There are certain items that we MUST purchase each month and the government will pursue a policy that will guarantee a reasonable return on investment by importers but at the same time contain the final mark- up price to the consumer,” he forecasted.
Drew has locked horns with incumbent Dr. Timothy Harris whose three-party coalition government collapsed after persistent corruption complaints and a successful no confidence motion forced him to announce polls three years ahead of schedule.
“Corruption and malfeasance in public office,” triggered the collapse of the two-term incumbent coalition Team Unity government of Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris which Drew said must be swept out of office.
“The last 24 months have not been our finest as a nation. We have had more reasons and occasions to shake our heads in embarrassment and despair, than we have had to celebrate and feel good and proud of ourselves”.
“Our country cannot continue like this. We need to change course. We need to change this government. You need to go out on August 5th and vote for the candidates of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party,” Dr Drew told his audience.
Former PM, Dr Denzil Douglas in an exclusive with this media house, revealed internal strife in the Harris administration precipitated his government’s fall when s ix coalition partners demanded his resignation or face a NCM.
Desperate to hold on to tenuous power, PM Harris fired his six cabinet colleagues who, by then, had written the Governor Geneal about their decision. Moves by Harris to reshuffle his cabinet to save his government on life support was too late.
The NCM prevailed.
Harris however, adopted a cavalier interpretation of the country’s constitution to give himself an extra three months in office before naming elections date. The SKNLP launched a massive public protest.
PM Harris folded.
Drew exchanged the rearview mirror for binoculars.
“Tonight, I want to influence a shift in the focus of this campaign: from one of introducing our team and highlighting the egregious misdeeds of the current administration, to that of looking forward at the task of remedying matters of concern to the people of the Federation,” candidate Drew outlined.
He assured his party’s commitment to containing and managing the cost of living in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“We have gone around this country and we have heard the cries of the people,” the medical doctor said.
The SKNLP candidate reiterated that the focus his government will trained on the welfare and wellbeing of the population, and as a consequence, must “involve a rethink of how we manage and disburse funds from the Citizens By Investment Program,” (CBI).
He explained: “I am all for the CBI program and i am all in favor of the mighty projects that successive governments have committed to and have embarked upon in recent years. But I want to make clear tonight that my priority shall be to put a roof over the heads of my people. My priority shall be to put healthy, affordable food on their tables and attractive and dignified clothing on their backs.”
What is unacceptable to the prime ministerial opposition candidate is for the horse to starve while the proverbial grass is luxuriantly green and perennially flourishing.
“I cannot have a program earning hundreds of millions of dollars and 20,000 vehicle owners cannot afford to put fuel in their cars,” he argued during his address.
“We shall determine what is a reasonable, affordable rate for the sale of gas and diesel to motorists….and anything above that figure, will have to be borne by the government, and its revenue generating agencies, until such time as the global price is normalized and we can have market prices that are affordable to motorists,” Drew assured.
He promised that, going forward, his new administration’s first lien on this program “shall be a cost-of-living subsidy for the 48 000 souls living in this blessed twin island federation.”
As the new government, Drew promised announcing stable prices for fuel for the remainder of 2022.
“But I give you the assurance tonight, that there shall be a cut in the price of fuel…and that price cut shall remain in effect for the rest of the year….in spite of whatever happens in the global markets.”
“Our economic team is telling me that they can return retail prices to, at minimum, March 31st, 2022 levels,” he said. He said a similar strategy will be adopted for essential food items for all Kittitians.
He also anticipated doing so for prices of, food, essential clothing items and basic building materials.
“No more surprises.”
“No more putting back items in the supermarket. What you pay in August shall be what you pay in September, October, November, December and January,” Dr Drew assured.
