CANADIAN FIRE INVESTIGATOR REPORTS ARSON WAS CLEARLY THE CAUSE OF FIRE THAT DESTROYED NEVIS FINANCIAL COMPLEX .
Hon. Premier Vance Amory
Robert T Riches
Nevis Premier Hon. Vance Amory in an address to the Nation on Thursday Evening May 8th revealed information regarding the findings of Canadian Fire Investigator Robert T. Riches on the fire that destroyed the Nevis Financial Complex earlier this year.
According to Amory’s statement the Fire Investigator’s report regarding the incident is “troubling”. The report revealed that Arson was CLEARLY the cause of the January 17th fire .
The Report in part reads “”Two incendiary devices were used. The devices were petroleum based. These devices entered the structure through a maintenance opening on the west side of the building. Both devices landed on the false ceiling. One device landed towards the southwest corner of the Treasury office, the second landed approximately three feet from the front door on the north side of the Treasury office. The devices ignited thus starting the fire.”
The report further stated “After completing this comprehensive forensic fire re-construction and analysis, it is the opinion of the investigators that this was not a random act of mischief but rather a well-developed and orchestrated plan of mayhem. We are of the opinion that a well thought out plan of attack was made at the heart of the government and people of Nevis”
Amory also labeled the fire as an attack on the people of Nevis.
He stated “My fellow citizens and residents, these findings speak for themselves. I wish to use this address to appeal to our people to set aside any divisive and dangerous track upon which we have embarked. Whoever orchestrated this criminal assault, launched an attack not only on this Administration but also on the workers in these departments, the persons who could not receive their pensions and other subsistence, the business community who could not transact business with the Administration.
This was an attack on all the people of Nevis and I think I made that very clear on the morning after the fire.
I have given instructions that the forensic report be passed to the Police in Nevis, in the fervent hope that the perpetrators of this heinous crime against the government and people of Nevis, can be caught and brought to justice.
I call on all the people not to engage in any finger pointing and speculation but rather to assist the Police with actionable information, so that we can bring that person or those persons involved to justice.
I ask you, my fellow citizens, to join with me in strengthening our collective resolve that there shall be no retreat and no surrender, to those who seek to destabilize and divide our country through criminality.
Your Administration has been dealt some vicious blows in the past 15 months since taking office but while we have been knocked down, we have not been knocked out. Our commitment to serve all the people of Nevis remains undiminished and undaunted.”
The Premier indicated that the report has been forwarded to [Assistant Commissioner of Police] ACP Robert Liburd who is the officer in charge on Nevis and follow-up investigations will be carried out .
Since taking office some 15 months ago the CCM Led Nevis Island Administration have had more than their fair share of obstacles. The CCM has accused the federal government of undermining their Nevis island Administration. Upon taking office the Federal Government led by Dr Denzil Douglas halted budgetary support that was given to the previous NRP led NIA. In recent weeks the Federal Government Owned SKNA National Bank refused to honor Civil Servants Salaries Cheques over a $60 million overdraft debt left by the previous NRP Led NIA.
The CCM is part of an Opposition Team UNITY Alliance with two other major parties in the twin island federation. The Alliance commands the majority of the members of parliament and have been agitating for a now 17 Month old Motion of NO CONFIDENCE to be debated in the National Parliament. The Speaker has refused to put the Motion on the Order PAPER for debate and thus a Motion filed since December of 2012 remains unheard . The Motion was filed by Leader of the OPPOSITION and Deputy Premier of Nevis Hon. Mark Brantley.
Of course those of us who reside in St Kitts and Nevis knew from the moment the fire was discovered it was arson. AND we all know where the fingers of suspicion are firmly pointing across the narrows from Nevis. The Machiavaellian tactics of a mini Mugabe styled dictator desperate to stay in power will stop at nothing to cause unrest in the Federation . We have never had arson attacks, then in one week the Venezuelan Consultate is burned, the OAS building is also fire bombed, the business of one of the leading opposition politicians is burned to the ground( with claims by the SK Fire department it was an electrical fault ??? ) Then suddenly the historic Treasury building and VAT offices go on fire in Nevis, coincidences ?. We know this not to be the case.
Ask who benefits from this ‘terrorism’ ?, Certainly not the parties who wish a free and fair election and who have waited nearly 18 months for the democratically elected parliament in Basseterre to hold the vote on the motion of no confidence. Who gains from these attacks? Certainly not the Nevis Island Administration nor the UNITY coalition in St Kitts.