Tenure of Office of Prime Minister Bill continuation of vendetta against Douglas

The St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party says that the “Tenure of Office of Prime Minister Bill” was a desperate ploy by the Unity government to prevent Dr. Denzil Douglas from becoming Prime Minister again.

Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, who introduced the legislation in Parliament, was a no show when the time came for the second reading of the “The Tenure of Office of Prime Minister Bill 2015” on Friday, 20 September 2019.

Leader of Government Business in the lawmaking body, Hon Eugene Hamilton told lawmakers that Dr Harris was not available and no one on the government benches “has been duly authorized, although we can do it as a minister” to move the second reading and begin the debate.

Hamilton however proposed that the Bill be removed from the Order Paper and said he will ensure it comes up for debate at a future sitting. No one knows where the prime minister was because visiting diplomats said their meetings with him were cancelled on Friday to allow him to attend the National Assembly session.

“The Constitution is clear as to the steps or procedure the Governor General should take in appointing a prime minister,” said one analyst, who added that the Bill is not only unconstitutional, but solely to prevent former prime minister and current Leader of the Opposition, The Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas from serving again as prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis.

This bill is also a continuation of Dr Harris’ personal vendetta against Dr Douglas, who has served the people of this country with distinction and whose tenure of office as prime minister has led to the significant strides that St Kitts and Nevis has made, politically, socially and economically,” said the regional analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity.