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The Opposition in the British Virgin Islands is crying shame on Virgin Islands and Caribbean Leaders  in what they see as an ongoing ‘constitutional crisis’ in the St Kitts and Nevis Parliament.

National Spokesperson for the BVI People’s Empowerment Party Mr Lorrie Rhymer stated that it had been more than fifteen months since a motion of no confidence had been filed against the Dr Denzil L. Douglas led government of the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis, yet the matter has not been put on the order paper of the House of the Federation.

“The people of the Caribbean should be ashamed of themselves,” Mr Rhymer argued.

He contended that the issue was not a small one and said two treaties – the Treaty of Chaguaramas and the Treaty of Basseterre – gave citizens of the Caribbean enough standing to raise their voices on the issue.

He added that the people and leadership of the Caribbean should be ashamed and continue to hold their heads down as a result of their lack of action with regards to the St.Kitts-Nevis Parliamentary Crisis.

Meanwhile BVI Social Activist and Commentator Douglas Wheatley said from the experience that has obtained in the Virgin Islands, a motion of no confidence brought in the House is expected to be debated with despatch. “The shenanigans that have been taking place in that Territory (St.Kitts-Nevis)  are not in keeping with what we know to be the established and conventional practice in dealing with such matters,” Wheatley stated.

Wheatley lamented that the divisive nature of politics which is now plaguing other Caribbean Territories like St.Kitts-Nevis is now finding its way into the politics of the Virgin Islands.

The Radio Talk Show host offered that one of the reasons there has been division in the Virgin Island Communities  is because of the introduction of party politics there.

“All you have to do is look at some of the other countries, you don’t have to look around the world, you can look right here in the Caribbean to see the disastrous effects of the introduction of party politics,” the Radio host said on a programme aired on April 15, 2014.

 

Wheatley said it was noticed that the politics in the VI has divided friend from friend and family from family and perhaps something similar to Bob Marley’s actions in bringing together former political leaders, Edward Seaga and Michael Manley of Jamaica needed to be done.

In December of 2012 Leader of the SKN Opposition Hon. Mark Brantley filed a Motion of No Confidence against Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas. Six of the 11 elected parliamentarians in the National Assembly have given notice to the Governor General that they will support the Motion and further that they support Dr. Timothy Harris as Prime Minister.

 The Speaker of the Assembly has refused to bring the Motion for debate for the past 16 months despite a court ruling that outlines and declares that the Motion should’ve been put on the order paper and debated already and that there was nothing impeding the Motion from being debated as is being suggested by the Dr Denzil Douglas administration.

The Opposition in the BVI has joined countless other Caribbean personalities and groups in denouncing the actions of the SKN Government . Grenada PM Kieth Mitchell, former OECS Judge Brian Alleyne, Former Jamaican Attorney General Delroy Chuck, St.Vincent and the Grenadines Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace, St.Lucia Opposition Party Leader Allan Chastanet among others have all condemned the Dr Denzil Douglas administrations’ failure to have the Motion debated .