BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Dec 11, CMC –Opposition Leader Mark Brantley has called on Prime Minister Dr. Denzil; Douglas to resign after he announced a postponement of the presentation of the national budget.
In a nationwide radio and television broadcast, Dr. Douglas, who is also Finance Minister, said two members of Cabinet failed to attend meetings at which the fiscal package had been discussed and assured citizens that despite the postponement his administration would present a “completely tax-free” package.
He said a new date will be announced for the budget presentation.
But Brantley said that the National Assembly has faced two postponements within a one week period and that the postponement of the budget was as a result of division within the government.
“It must be clear to all at home and abroad that Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas no longer commands the confidence of the parliament of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said Brantley, who has already tabled a motion of no confidence in the prime minister.
“That motion is pending and I today wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Honourable Curtis Martin, requesting of him that the motion of no confidence be tabled in the National Parliament for debate at the sitting of the Assembly on Tuesday as it is customary that any such motion which goes to the very heart of the legitimacy of the Government has to be treated with the utmost urgency.
“The manner in which Parliament was abandoned raised the natural suspicion that the Prime Minister was unwilling to have Parliament convened and face certain defeat of his Bill to increase the number of Senators in the National Assembly.”
Brantley said that Prime Minister Douglas “facing certain defeat of his budget, and concerned no doubt that the motion of no confidence will be tabled for debate” has cancelled the schedule sitting of Parliament on Tuesday.
The Opposition Leader said these developments “mark the first time in our history that a sitting Prime Minister has employed every available tactic to avoid attending Parliament and accounting to the Parliament and to the Nation for his stewardship.
“In every respect, it appears that the Prime Minister and the government that he leads are now staging a boycott of the National Parliament,” said Brantley, who is also deputy political leader of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM).
Leader of the main opposition People’s Action Movement (PAM), Shawn Richards, said he believes that the postponement is as a result of Dr. Douglas trying to avoid the debate on a motion of no confidence filed by the Opposition last week.
