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“”In a blistering address to the nation on the second anniversary of the August 5th, 2022, election, PLP Leader Dr. Hon. Timothy Harris pulled no punches in delivering a harsh assessment of the Prime Minister Drew-led Labour government’s performance. Dr. Harris, the third Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, did not mince words, calling the administration “a colossal failure and a fraud from its inception.

“**Dismal Track Record**

Dr. Harris systematically dissected the government’s record, starting with its promise to enhance the Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP). Instead of the tripled monthly support of $1,500 that was promised, Dr. Harris highlighted that the support was slashed to less than $250 per month, with many deserving beneficiaries, including the elderly and vulnerable, being cut off entirely. He raised alarming concerns about Labour supporters living abroad allegedly receiving PAP payments, describing the situation as a betrayal of the program’s original purpose.

**Housing Debacle**

The housing sector was another area where Dr. Harris criticized the administration, focusing on the agreement with East Coast Housing Development Ltd. to build 2,400 smart homes. He revealed that only two houses had been constructed, yet the government had guaranteed almost EC$150 million to a foreign company with no proven track record. This arrangement, according to Dr. Harris, lacked transparency and put the nation at significant financial risk.

**Economic Stagnation**

Dr. Harris then turned his attention to the economy, lambasting the government for failing to diversify or attract new investments. He painted a bleak picture of a struggling economy with businesses closing, workers being laid off, and a rise in armed robberies affecting local businesses. He slammed the administration for its inaction and the lack of any new projects or industry boosts that could have revitalized the economy.

**Crime Surge**

One of the most damning aspects of Dr. Harris’s speech was his critique of the administration’s handling of law and order. He stated that the government’s failure to prioritize crime prevention had led to a surge in violent crime, with over 60 murders since they took office. Dr. Harris pointed to the rise of assassination-style murders involving women and children as a horrifying trend under this administration’s watch.

**CBI Programme Mismanagement**

Dr. Harris did not hold back on criticizing the mishandling of the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme, which he said had plummeted from being number one in the world to the bottom due to erratic policy changes and the involvement of a foreign investor with a criminal past. He warned that the CBI’s decline posed a significant threat to the nation’s economy.

**Healthcare Failures**

Dr. Harris concluded his address by highlighting the administration’s failures in healthcare, an area that was supposed to be a priority for Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Terrance Drew, who is also the Minister of Health. He pointed out that the much-touted MRI unit had yet to be delivered, and criticized the halting of advanced plans for a cardiac catheterization lab, which could have saved lives in a nation plagued by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

**A Grim Outlook**

Dr. Harris’s report card on the Drew administration was unequivocal: two years of incompetence, broken promises, and mismanagement that had left the nation worse off. His words resounded as a clarion call for change, as he urged the people of St. Kitts and Nevis to hold the government accountable for what he described as an unprecedented failure in leadership.