While St Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris has said that St Kitts and Nevis must remain closed “to safeguard residents and citizens from the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” there are reports that his Team Unity coalition is making plans to fly in their supporters who live overseas for the June 5 poll.
“Our borders will continue to remain closed to international commercial flights and visitors so as to prevent, and or delay the possibility of importing any new cases. The strict guidelines that we initiated some weeks ago have so far proven to be effective, and they have allowed us to flatten the curve,” PM Harris said during an address to the nation on Friday, May 22.
But in the past few days nationals locally and overseas have disclosed that the Team Unity coalition is calling their supporters to find out if they can still make it to St Kitts and Nevis.
“Unity is asking people if they want to go home and vote. We all know Harris cannot be trusted,” one source who will not be identified said Wednesday.
“They trying to find out who can still come,” said another individual.
Political leader of the opposition St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) Dr Denzil L Douglas has accused prime minister Harris of introducing a six-month State of Emergency in the country to have an unfair advantage in the June 5 election.
Although he has reiterated support for the medical authorities in the fight against the COVID-19 virus, Dr Douglas has made it clear that it is unfair for the government to use emergency powers to keep opposition candidates locked down like the rest of the residents while the coalition candidates campaigned freely.
Former chairman of the co-governing People’s Action Movement (PAM), Chesley Hamilton, has called on Dr Harris to return to parliament and suspend the State of Emergency to allow the opposition parties to have the same level playing field that the governing parties enjoy during the present election campaign.
“I am calling on civil society. I am calling on people within the Unity Government, I am calling on Lindsay Grant, I am calling on Shawn Richards, who demonstrated for electoral reform so that we can have free and fair elections,” said Hamilton.
He said the State of Emergency during an election period is not only draconian, but also takes away the fundamental rights of the people.
Former chief medical officer Dr Patrick Martin in a recent commentary said COVID-19 briefings should also be about preparedness, particularly the envisioned blueprint for economic growth and resilience.
“The elections being called, all such ideas ought to contend to enable the electorate to make informed choices about the leadership, going forward. St. Kitts and Nevis’ democratic journey is paved with ancestral blood, sweat and tears that are fixed in the collective DNA. Citizens are accustomed to free and fair elections contested on a level playing field,” said Dr Martin.
