Wednesday December 2nd 2009 will be recorded in our political history as a day when the dark side of the Douglas Administration’s blackest intent was revealed in our halls of justice.
The occasion was the judicial review of the legal proposal that the Leader of the Opposition maintains the right to nominate replacements to fill two vacancies on the five-man Constituency Boundaries Commission, following the resignation of his nominees.
Because the St. Kitts Labour Administration faces certain defeat at the next poll, Prime Minister Douglas appears determined to convert by legislation his political demise into a ‘victory’ by gerrymandering ten of the eleven constituency boundaries to create a chance for political survival.
Five years and one month after he secured a mandate on October 25th 2009 Prime Minister Douglas has refused to call elections.
Readers would recall that in 1995 and 2004 he captured seven of the eight seats on St. Kitts. In the poll of 2000 he secured “all eight” seats. With that performance behind him electors are led to speculate as to why he is extremely reluctant or even afraid to test his political future once again with the same old boundaries. Just recently he boasted to a regional journalist that he will make an “all eight”, “clean sweep” at the next poll.
What Denzil Douglas is refusing to accept is the popular verdict and intention of the majority of electors to vote for meaningful change. Wednesday’s courtroom revelation propelled both the P.A.M. and the C.C.M. towards resolute action.
PAM’s press conference on WINN-FM in St. Kitts and CCM’s two-hour long informative programme “On The Mark” on VON Radio in Nevis electrified listeners with the horrifying news of Labour’s devilish plans.
Gus Williams of Radio One on St. Kitts has confirmed the view of the public that he is an unrepentant lackey, stooge and messenger-boy for Denzil Douglas and Labour.
His vehement and unsubstantiated accusations that “people are fed-up” with PAM’s Judicial efforts to preserve our democracy is a political ploy designed to frustrate the electors and turn their minds against the Labour Administration, and the would-be dictator, Denzil Douglas is like a broken and stuck record which he plays at every press conference held by PAM.
Gus’ inferiority of intelligence cannot be hidden by the British accent of our former colonial masters, who enslaved Kittitians and Nevisians for over three hundred years. Gus and his new St. Paulian master will never succeed in stealing our democracy and our rights as electors to political self determination.
Denzil Douglas has made this Federation the laughing stock of the region and the Commonwealth.
This Federation was offered generous financial and technical assistance by the Commonwealth Secretariat on recommendations by the Commonwealth Observer Group which monitored the July 3rd 1995 General Election.
Justice P.N. Bhagwatti chaired an eight person committee with support staff on behalf of the Commonwealth Secretary General, Hs Excellency Chief Emeka Anydoku.
The report was made available to the Labour Party, the P.A.M., C.C.M, N.R.P., and to all Commonwealth Governments.
The group observed that the conduct of our voters underscored a firm commitment to the democratic process.
Despite the comprehensive exercise and the firm recommendations which were made, the Douglas Administration has ignored and steadfastly refused to implement specific recommendations.
- A new voters list could be better secured by a bona fide enumeration exercise
- Voter identification and correct residency
- Access by all parties to the ZIZ Radio and TV, and balanced coverage of their activities.
- Ensure Security of election material
- An early opportunity should be taken by the C.B.C. to review boundaries.
- To consider and devise a procedure allowing all political parties to be consulted on the appointment of electoral officials prior to finalization by the Electoral Commission.
Since 1995 no considerable effort was made by the Labour Administration to revise the boundaries.
In 2002, Prime Minister Douglas declared that the period of about 1000 days between 2002 and polling day 2004 was inadequate and too short to implement the exercise.
In 2009 the same Prime Minister Douglas is feverishly seeking to implement that exercise within six (6) weeks or forty-two (42) days following October 19th when his efforts were declared null and void by the Judiciary. How can Douglas and Labour expect to achieve the long avoided task between December 2nd and December 16th – a mere fifteen (15) days before our parliament is automatically dissolved.
Prime Minister Douglas has no mandate or any moral authority to be the political leader of this Federation at this time. His mandate has expired; his dictatorial claim to govern is exhausted; his may be justifiably compared to a used and damaged commodity whose “sell-by” date has past.
His presence at the political helm of this Federation is extremely toxic and a serious threat to our democracy.
It is the duty of all citizens to demand that he Douglas vacate the space reserved for a democratic, visionary and enlightened leader.
The Federation has that leader in waiting. Let us ensure that he leads, by effecting the overdue change.
“BE STRONG!
It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong,
How hard the battle goes, the day how long;
FAINT NOT – FIGHT ON!
Tomorrow comes the song.”
