St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris is intent on keeping the country in a state of emergency and total lockdown for an indefinite period despite an agreement by CARICOM and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States leaders to gradually relax the restrictions for travel and open their borders, possibly by the first week of June.
Although agreeing with his other prime ministerial colleagues on May 9, Harris claimed that there is no rush to open SKN's borders as opening prematurely "will bring much pain." He previously insisted that “there are no immediate plans to unlock our borders other than in the measured way that we have allowed them to operate”.
In the face of being forced by cabinet, dominated by his coalition colleagues of the People's Action Movement to follow the constitution, and end his attempt to use the state of emergency as an excuse for the unavoidable dissolution of parliament on Thursday, Harris is set on defying both PAM and the wishes of the people of St Kitts and Nevis. General elections are due in August.
Former prime minister, Dr Denzil Douglas, and leader of the opposition St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party said: “It is clear that, in defying his own Cabinet, Dr Harris wants to have the election without opening the borders and thereby deny nationals access to their home country. These are nationals who have the right to vote and who, as patriots, have a never-ending commitment to our country.”
Douglas said that Harris will try to hang on, by the skin of his teeth to power, so that he could continue to milk the country and the people for every cent he could possibly get to perhaps “fill his own pockets”, insisted that, “what you will see, is another three months of excesses, nepotism, and blatant opportunism.”
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