SKNLP launches Manifesto tonight
PLANS TO SLASH the country’s value added tax (VAT), give a 10 percent wage hike to government workers and debt forgiveness for indebted students are expected to for part of the St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) elections manifesto set for launch tomorrow, Tuesday.
Former Prime Minister, Dr Denzil Douglas in a telephone interview with www.sknnewssource.com over the weekend and in a public meeting Sunday night dropped the policy hints the SKNLP government will pursue should the party prevail at the polls set for August 5th.
The manifesto is also expected to outline details on policy proposals for job creation, hiking minimum wage for females working in the industrial estate; financial assistance for nationals pursuing a first degree, and special financial incentives to bolster small businesses in the country.
VAT should fall from 17 to 12 percent; government employees should expect a 10 percent wage hike; there will be “a $25,000.00 from the government” to every person pursuing their first degree, Dr Douglas said at Sunday night’s public rally.
“We will ensure that these monies are made available to every student that is pursuing his/her first degree as we invest in the education sector in a significant way. We will also give debt forgiveness for those students who are having heavy student loans to pay, and we will have a full package of concessions and exemptions for our small businesses as Labour knows what it is doing” he declared on his party’s manifesto measures.
Douglas continued, “We have to create more jobs for people. We have to reduce the taxation that corporate citizens are paying presently. We want to have heathier livelihoods, thus ensuring that there is peace and stability raining here in St Kitts and Nevis.”
He said a Labour government will invest heavily in the human resources of the country, reminding his audience that people are the only true natural resource the country has.
“Don’t forget we will give $500.00 minimum wage to those ladies working in the industrial estate in particular. It’s time that they get an increase. Not only public servants must get 10 percent increase, they deserve an increase on their meager wages as well,” he declared
Then he trained his speech on incumbent Prime Minister, Dr. Timothy Harris, who he fired from his government in 2013. Harris’ treatment of the 53,000 residents during the ongoing global pandemic was cited as the chief reason to vote his administration out of office, Douglas reasoned.
“Comrades don’t forget how many of you were treated badly during the COVID pandemic, where many were locked out and had to write the Prime Minister, directly, to be allowed back home. Don’t forget that…we were all treated badly by him. People complained, I complained about the conditions of the people,” he reminded.
Dr. Douglas recalled his former cabinet colleague’s lack of care for his people when he approached him to implement measures to assist many families chafing under the deadly COVID-19 outbreak.
“He told me that the people should fast and pray. Yes! (they must) hold fasting and prayer (services) when he (Harris) was at home and eating five meals per day. Selfish! Don’t care anything about people,” Douglas recalled during his fiery presentation.
“Harris must go!” the crowd shouted after Douglas’ reminder.
The former Prime Minister also pointed out that several big businesses slash the number of their staff, without compensation, and the Harris administration did nothing.
“Can you imagine him saying that the big businesses have a right to say who they want on their job regardless of vaccine or no vaccine? No compensation for the people, none whatsoever and that is why I want to make it absolutely clear that we must not allow him to keep our people locked out of St. Kitts and Nevis. Our people must come home…and make sure they participate in these historic elections 2022. There are still large numbers of persons still not working. Thousands of people are unemployed and he (PM Harris) out there doing all kind of foolishness with money,” Douglas stressed.
He said Harris, desperate for political relevance, has resorted to bribing voters financially for their support.
Several beneficiaries came forward with proof receiving monies and other gifts as inducement to not only attend the Prime Minister’s party campaign rallies, but also to vote for him.
“Many have been given $200.00 (XCD) while others were offered $500 (XCD), to attend his party’s convention. Instead of creating jobs and getting the youth gainfully employed, he’s running around spending millions of dollars in buying votes and support. He is squandering tax payers’ monies, so I want to make it clear that we have to change the government, thus ensuring that we can have small businesses again being able to strive for development here in St. Kitts and Nevis,” Douglas argued.
