Under pressure, PM Harris buckling

PRIME MINISTER Dr Timothy Harris is falling apart according to leaked social media posts from insiders of his Peoples Labour Party (PLP) now in www.sknnewssource.com possession.

Harris, ruffled and fraying at the edges by a surging St Kitts Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) and lack of momentum by his three-party coalition, is nevertheless vying to win a third successive term since he became PM in 2015.

Former Prime Minister, Dr Denzil Douglas, fired Harris from his SKNLP government back in 2013.

Explaining his decision, Douglas had said that “based on my interaction with the Senior Minister Harris in recent months, I have formed the view that the Senior Minister will not participate meaningfully in the Government unless he is appointed Prime Minister.”

“However, the Labour Party is a longstanding institution with strong democratic traditions that outline the processes by which one moves into a position of leadership in the Party. It is not within my power to grant Party leadership to anyone. It is the members of the Party that must do so. Similarly, it is not in my power to leave position of Prime Minister in my Will or to give to whomsoever I wish. The Prime ‘Ministership’ is not of a Dynasty or Monarchy. The choice of Prime Minister rests in the hand of the people of this country,” said Dr Douglas.

He further said that, “it is in this context that I have… asked His Excellency the Governor General to revoke the appointment of the Honourable Timothy Harris as a Minister of Government and he has acted accordingly, in keeping with the provisions of the Constitution. This action became necessary because of the need to ensure that the Government continues to function smoothly and that the investment climate is not unduly affected by the political manoeuvring that has become evident in recent months.”

 Before being axed, Harris served in many cabinet-positions in the Douglas administration: he was Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Housing; Minister of Education, Labour and Social Security; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Education; and Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, Industry and Commerce.

“We got to give it our best shot to save PM (Harris). He’s terribly stressed,” a trusted Harris’ advisor told a colleague in the leaked social media conversation.

In it, the writer hinted at internal PLP schisms which he fears will benefit Douglas’ rival SKNLP political outfit.

“After the elections, we know LABOUR would file claims and this will give us more time in government to take care of our business. We cannot count on the PEACE boys because we always knew that most of them would be ungrateful and would want to support LABOUR again.”

“That is why PM was fighting hard to get the prison finished but them mumu PAM and CCM jokers has forced us into this early election,” the insider complained.

The seven-year PLP government under Harris, a highly trained accountant, has been plagued by repeated high-profile scandals since his accession to office. Allegations of international panhandling by the country’s PM has dented his reputation at home, in the Caribbean and globally, according to Douglas in a telephone interview with this media house.

SKNLP in a Facebook commentary highlighted the national shame linked to Harris’ mendicancy.

“Owing to the government’s embarrassment at the revelation of Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris’ flagrant personal begging internationally, the coalition administration’s propaganda machines have been working overtime,” the party said in its social media post.

“Their hope is that their lies create a false reality in the minds of the populace and turn their attention away from Dr Harris’ continued failure,” the party’s post noted.

It asserted that “no matter how loudly the government clamours, their noise is easily drowned out by the lamentations coming from the general public due to the increased hardships brought on by the economic downturn since 2015; the increasing crime rate; and the corruption and nepotism blatantly demonstrated by government officials.”

The SKNLP in another social media commentary emphasised that PM Harris “is no leader.”

“We have now seen that he is a failure. In the world’s ever-changing economic climate, a country such as ours can ill-afford to waste time and resources. Entrusting our affairs to an administration driven by greed was a catastrophic mistake and the full extent of the damage sustained at their hands has yet to be realised. We need to put an end this,” Douglas had reminded party officials and supporters.

“In the face of a host of sweet-sounding manifesto promises such as better economic stability, improved governance and transparency, a fair share for all, and free money, ‘Team Unity’ coalition has clearly demonstrated its ability to make every day of their time in office ‘Opposite Day’”, Dr Douglas had said in a hard-hitting and blistering speech.