Tweet

 

 

  Hon. Dr. Timothy HARRIS 

Suite 305, Sama Tower-St.Kitts-Nevis Embassy in Dubai

 

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, May 14th   2014:-An important call has been made for the country to be brought up-to-date on the work of the hastily opened St Kitts and Nevis Consulate in Dubai. The clarion call came from Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, former Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign and International Trade, and now the representative designated as Prime Minister by a majority of elected representative. Dr Harris was at a packed Town Hall meeting in West Basseterre as part of his Team UNITY’s Listening Tour,  two Thursdays ago where hundreds turned out to support the Team Unity leadership.

Dr Harris said “the country needs to be assured about the propriety of the transactions being undertaken in Dubai on behalf of the government.”

 

The country was put in shock in 2012 when the Consulate was hastily opened in Dubai. The opening of the Consulate happened without the involvement or support of then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Sam Condor. The nation was shocked that such a major decision could be taken by the Prime Minister without the advice, input and support of the Minister responsible for such matters ie Hon Sam Condor.

 

Further outrage and condemnation were vocalized by many who saw this as the start of a galloping dictatorship and the callous and cavalier abuse of Prime Ministerial authority. Persons could not believe that the Prime Minister would have added salt to injury by choosing the mother of his children, Alex Woodley to head the Consulate not withstanding the public objection by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Many in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had seen a career path leading to upward mobility from a post in Basseterre to diplomatic placement overseas. Several citizens had extensive training in international relations and felt themselves competent to take up the foreign posting. Such trained minds available for service include Carlisle Richardson, Thensia Grey, Kaye Bass and Justin Hawley.

 

Alex Woodley came to public notice during 2010 Elections when public documents online listed her as one of the owners of Lex Consulting . During the 2010 campaign cheques from Lex Consulting  were reported to have been drawn in favor of persons close to the Douglas campaign. In at least one case a cheque appeared bearing the name Denzil Douglas. In the post-election period Douglas after first denying any involvement with Lex Consulting, would later concede to a local reporter that his Labour Party had transactions with Lex Consulting.

 

 

Prime Minister was condemned by many for a lack of sensitivity, abuse of protocol, displaying despotic tendencies and advancing family interests above the country.Nonetheless, without one dollar identified in the National Budget for the Dubai Consulate, Douglas opened the Consulate without the approval ofhis Foreign Minister the Hon Sam Condor, another breach of protocol. It is strange that while thousands of civil servants were being asked to countenance salary and wage freezes, the illegitimate Prime Minister should be spending money like a drunken sailor man not just on the Peninsular but in Dubai.

 

It is said that millions of dollars have been expended on property, salaries, security, furniture and fittings, at the St Kitts and Nevis Consulate. Several persons have raised questions regarding the propriety of transactions taking place there.

 

In the context of the foregoing breaches in protocols, misgivings and questions surrounding the Dubai Consulate , Dr Harris echoed his call for greater transparency and good governance and demanded that government gave a full break down of all expenditures and expenses associated with the Dubai Consulate and its operations etc. Clearly there is a public interest to which the illegitimate government must respond.

 

Public business must never be hidden from the public domain and nor public scrutiny. Previous reports on our Foreign Embassies and Missions have shown serious breaches in operational protocol, administrative and financial control and financial impropriety in those offices. For evidence of this the reader should have a look at the reports from the director of audit.

Given all the breaches leading to the establishment of this Consulate, the public should not be faulted for wanting to learn all and sundry about what is happening at this office in the Middle East and other offices abroad.

It is important that we have an early evaluation and audit of the Dubai Consulate.