People’s Action Movement Leader – Shawn Richards
Basseterre, St.Kitts – Nevis
November 23rd 2012)
Buoyed by the huge success of the “Save our lands” demonstration and march Leader of the People’s Action Movement the Hon. Shawn Kenneth Richards announced to a massive crowd at the party’s post-march rally that his party will stage another protest on December 6th if the”Land for debt swap” law is not repealed. The announcement was met with a boisterous and massive show of approval from the thousands at the post march rally on Bank Street in the St.Kitts Capital Basseterre.
The 2 term parliamentarian also declared that the protest will also serve to register his party’s and the country’s displeasure with the attempt by Prime Minister Douglas to add 3 more senators to the Parliament. Parliament is scheduled to meet on December 7th where it is expected that Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas would pursue the 2nd and 3rd readings of the The Senators (Increasing of Number), Bill, 2012. The bill is seeking legislative approval to increase the number of senators in the lawmaking body from three to six.
Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, the Hon. Patrice Nisbett introduced the bill on November 21st and was rejected by 3 of the 4 political parties in the National Assembly. The Prime Minister’s last minute attempt to make a deal with Leader of the Opposition Hon. Mark Brantley and members of his own cabinet failed. With an imminent defeat staring him in his face the Prime Minister was forced to have just the first reading and postponed the 2nd and 2rd to December 7th.
Hon Richards declared “I will not rest until this Land for debt swap bill is repealed and on December 6th we will be having another demonstration to again express our dissatisfaction with this land swap bill. I will not rest until this bill is REPEALED !!! SAVE OUR LANDS!!!!…..SAVE OUR LANDS!!!!. On December 6th we demonstrate once again not only to save our lands but to save our country and stop Denzil Douglas’ attempt to entrench his dictatorial rule with the introduction of a senators bill to increase the number of senators in the federal parliament. The country is not satisfied with this proposed bill and we will express our dissatisfaction with Douglas’ attempt to further foist himself on a people struggling under the weight of his arrogance and incompetence.”
Richards led a massive march on November 22nd 2012 which shows the very obvious dissatisfaction of the vast majority of people in the country, with the “Land for swap” bill which will result in 1200 and more acres of crown lands ending up in the hands of wealthy foreigners. to entrench dictatorial rule and foist himself upon a people struggling under the weight of his incompetence, arrogance, recklessness and mismanagementto entrench dictatorial rule and foist himself upon a people struggling under the weight of his incompetence, arrogance, recklessness and mismanagementParliament, where representatives of three of St. Kitts and Nevis’ four political parties came together and rejected his plan to introduce and pass The Senators (Increase In Number) Bill, 2012.Parliament, where representatives of three of St. Kitts and Nevis’ four political parties came together and rejected his plan to introduce and pass The Senators (Increase In Number) Bill, 2012.Parliament, where representatives of three of St. Kitts and Nevis’ four political parties came together and rejected his plan to introduce and pass The Senators (Increase In Number) Bill, 2012. to entrench dictatorial rule and foist himself upon a people struggling under the weight of his incompetence, arrogance, recklessness and mismanagement