PAM Deputy Leader – Shawn Richards
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 18, 2009 (CUOPM)
A former Speaker of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly wants two opposition politicians to declare whether they have refused the additional salary paid into their bank accounts as a result of the payment to public officers by the Federal Government and the Nevis Island Administration.
Speaking at a massive Labour Party meeting in Upper Cayon on Tuesday, Ms. Marcella Liburd accused Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Mark Brantley and opposition parliamentarian Hon. Shawn Richards of hypocrisy for accepting the payment and at the same time criticizing Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.
Referring to an article on SKNVIBES headlined “Opposition parties call on Douglas to apologise to Federation,” Ms. Liburd asked: “What (do) they want (PM) Douglas to apologise for? For a double salary? I never hear nothing like that!”
She quoted from a joint statement from the PAM Secretariat which stated that the CCM and PAM “parties are of the view that the Prime Minister’s attempt should be described as a deliberate act at influencing the outcome of the election while insulting the intelligence of the public,’ and opposition member Shawn Richards as saying that the speech by Prime Minister Douglas on the double salary was “˜an insult to the public.’
Directly addressing Mr. Brantley and Mr. Richards, the former Speaker pointed out that both are entitled to the double salary and challenged them not to take it if they feel insulted by the payment.
“What you need to do gentlemen is not to take it. Don’t let the Prime Minister insult you by taking the double salary. Don’t let the Prime Minister insult you by taking the double salary. Don’t let the Prime Minister hold you in contempt. So Shawn and Mark should not take the double salary since you think it that it is an insult to the public,” said Ms. Liburd, adding: “My advice to you tonight is don’t take the double salary. As a matter of fact, you should not, because if you take it, it will go against the insult that feel is towards the public and if you do it will be hypocrisy.