PAM Leader – Shawn Richards
Basseterre, St.Kitts – Nevis
January 06, 2013
Leader of the St. Kitts – Nevis‘ main opposition People’s Action Movement Hon. Shawn K. Richards is blasting Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas for what he terms as the Prime Minister’s reckless , uncaring and out of touch attitude with regards to the poor citizens of the country.
“The decision by Prime Minister Douglas to spend almost $100,000 to bring a rich Hollywood actor and a Middle Eastern multi-millionaire to talk to the people of the country on his behalf instead of spending that money directly on the welfare of poor people in this country is yet another indication and confirmation of the Prime Minister’s reckless, uncaring attitude towards the people of this country. It also shows that he is out of touch with the concerns, and issues that continue to plague poor people in this country,” said the Hon. Richards.
“˜How can the Prime Minister justify this kind of wanton spending when the Lab at our largest high school has been closed for more than a year as it fell into such disrepair coupled with alleged atmospheric contaminants that our teachers and students were forced to abandon the lab . That $100,000 could’ve easily repaired the lab and our students able to study in a proper learning environment. The money for instance could have gone into undertaking a comprehensive testing protocol at the BHS to determine conclusively what contaminants are at the school making teachers and our children sick.” Richards continued.
The Constituency #5 Parliamentary Representative further lamented, “It would seem to me that the Prime Minister is more concerned with trying to protect his job instead of focusing on the welfare and well being of the people of SKN. That’s all he does and that is why we are in a state of spiritual, social, political and economic crisis.”
“The money spent on those two keynote speakers would’ve been better served and spent on the welfare of poor citizens of our country,” Richards concluded.
According to a Press Release from the Prime Minister’s Communication’s Unit American Actor Danny Glover and Middle Eastern multi-millionaire Izzat Dajani are expected to be the two keynote speakers at the PM’s annual Gala affair. Glover is a well known Hollywood actor and Dajani is a Dubai Based Middle Eastern Banker.
Over the years hundreds of thousands and maybe millions have been spent on bringing in high profile keynote speakers and performers including prominent United States Congresswoman, the Hon. Maxine Waters; Actress Cicely Tyson; Nation of Islam Leader, the Hon. Louis Farrakhan; Emmy Award Winner and Broadcaster Del Walters; Founder and President of TransAfrica, Mr. Randall Robinson; African-American icon, musician and actor, His Excellency Ambassador Harry Belafonte, Publisher and founder of America’s Black Enterprise Magazine, Earl Gilbert Graves, Sr., the late Prime Minister of Barbados, the Hon. David Thompson and former Jamaica Prime Minister and Caribbean statesman, the Most Honourable Percival J. Patterson. Minister Louis Farrakhan plus the Chi-Lites and the Manhattans singing groups.