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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, October 25, 2018 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – During the 66^th Meeting of the OECS Authority in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the matter of the Regional Security System (RSS) in St. Kitts and Nevis was raised.

 

Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris used the opportunity to commend regional Heads of Government for their support and approval of the deployment of the Regional Security System to the Federation.

 

Prime Minister Harris said this action on the part of regional Heads acknowledges the fact that as small open states, we are all exposed to the vulnerabilities of lawless acts against our citizens, residents and visitors.

 

Dr. Harris further noted that the entire Caribbean region, from Jamaica in the north to Trinidad in the south, has been experiencing unacceptable levels of criminal activity, and stated that in this regard, “we must all be our brothers’ keepers.”

 

The Prime Minister made the point that for his Government “one homicide is much too many” and that “the recent seizure by police of thousands of rounds of ammunition and several sophisticated  firearms is an indication that criminality has to be tackled and addressed  in a strong and robust way in order to repel the agents of lawlessness and criminality.”

 

Prime Minister Harris told regional media that, “The RSS is an additional resource available to every member state and that St. Kitts and Nevis, as a fully paid up member of RSS, will never waiver in applying this important resource in order to save our people’s lives and protect their property from criminal elements.”

 

The strong support by regional leaders for the deployment of the RSS is a clear rejection of an unpatriotic letter penned by Leader of the Opposition, Dr.  Denzil Douglas, in which he sought to dissuade the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Chairman of the RSS, Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, and his colleagues from participating. Prime Minister Gonsalves also serves as the current Chair of the OECS Authority.

 

The leaders rejected the bitterness and venom of Dr. Douglas’ letter and expressed their own sadness that the former prime minister would stoop so low to score cheap political points at a time when the country needed to be united and strong in its support for law and order.

 

According to a regional political pundit, the people of St. Kitts and Nevis must judge the intentions of the defeated leader against the actions of the current Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris. 

 

Prime Minister Harris strongly believe that, “This is a time when we must put our country before political party, and political maturity before political opportunism.”