{"id":9304,"date":"2017-11-16T13:37:59","date_gmt":"2017-11-16T17:37:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=9304"},"modified":"2017-11-16T13:37:59","modified_gmt":"2017-11-16T17:37:59","slug":"st-kitts-opposition-criticises-speaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/st-kitts-opposition-criticises-speaker\/","title":{"rendered":"ST. KITTS-Opposition criticises Speaker"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The main opposition St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) has accused the Speaker of the National Assembly, Michael Perkins, of allowing Tuesday\u2019 sitting of the parliament to be used as an occasion to bash Opposition Leader Dr. Denzil Douglas, whom government legislators have said is in possession of a diplomatic passport of a foreign country.<\/p>

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\"Marcella<\/a>
Marcella Liburd (File Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Former speaker and SKNLP chairman, Marcella Liburd said what took place in the National Assembly is reprehensible \u201cwith the full consent and collusion with the Speaker.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery agenda item takes the form of a political meeting. It does not matter whether the agenda item is announcements by the Speaker, statements by ministers or speaking on the adjournment,\u201d said Liburd.<\/p>

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Attorney General Vincent Byron Jr. told legislators that the Timothy Harris government \u201cis deeply concerned that we should have someone who sits in our Parliament who is in a position to be disqualified\u201d.<\/p>

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He said that as such, in his capacity as Attorney General, the government has sought legal advice and has \u201cbegun proceedings to go to the Court under Section 36 of the Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leader of Government Business, Eugene Hamilton, who wrote to Perkins on the diplomatic passport issue, said that \u201cthere\u2019s every good reason for any constituent and citizen, and every good reason for the Office of the Attorney General to institute proceedings against Dr. Douglas, and I would expect no less as I am uncomfortable with having him \u2013 or anyone for that matter \u2013 sitting in this Parliament in violation of our Constitution.\u201d<\/p>

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Prime Minister Harris had last month told reporters that Dr. Douglas held, and has travelled on a diplomatic passport issued by the government of Dominica on July 30, 2015 and that his government is moving to the High Court to have him removed from the National Assembly.<\/p>\n

But, Liburd said that citizens of the twin-island Federation \u201care frustrated\u201d with the antics of the government whose \u201cstrategy\u2026is to blame Douglas for everything that goes wrong, insults him and criticises him in every way possible.<\/p>

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\u201c\u201cThe government has become worn out with that game. The Team Unity ministers had a tirade about \u2018Dr. Douglas, Dr. Douglas, Dr. Douglas\u2019 and their supporters are now saying to Timothy Harris \u2018you have been there for almost 3 years now and you are still to tell us what are you doing to improve the lives of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis\u201d.<\/p>

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She said that the Speaker uses the National Assembly \u201cto shut up the opposition\u201d adding \u201cdemocratic principles have gone through the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing call democracy is in the National Assembly. Every item on the agenda is an opportunity for government ministers to abuse people, to insult people and to criticise people with the full support of the Speaker whether you are present or not.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhenever the ministers start, no one stops them and only ministers are allowed to engage in that manner and even if we are allowed to do so we would not do it,\u201d said Liburd.<\/p>\n

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The main opposition St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) has accused the Speaker of the National Assembly, Michael Perkins, of allowing Tuesday\u2019 sitting of the parliament to be used as an occasion to bash Opposition Leader Dr. Denzil Douglas, whom government legislators have said is in possession of a diplomatic passport of a foreign country. Marcella […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9305,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9304","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-regional"],"yoast_head":"\nST. 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