The Peoples Action Movement (PAM) through its political leader, Lindsay Grant has once again condemned the country’s Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas for statements he and some of his government ministers have been making with regards to PAM’s Deputy Political Leader, Eugene Hamilton while also condemning the Prime Minister on his handling on the country’s already escalated crime situation. The federation has reported 19 murders for the year with four of those murders occurring so far in August.
In extending sympathy to the relatives to the latest victim, Grant expressed the view that when his party takes office a moiré concerted and effective crime-fighting plan would be implemented so as to tackle the alarming murder rate. He called the attacks on his party candidates more in particular on Eugene Hamilton, Shawn Richards and himself as an attempt to divert attention from what Grant said as the recent disclosure by Clico in Barbados over allegations that Dr Douglas was part of a ring of persons who benefited significantly from flying around the world and other numerous benefits of the company’s private jet which according to the report was paid for by monies collected from subscribers.
Grant declared that PAM has been on “on target” regarding bad governance, inefficiencies and the Clico issue and the implications which that would have for thousands of persons and the Peoples Action Movement views the Prime Minster’s remarks as an attempt to divert their attention from exposing what is going on within Government. He declared that the party will not be distracted by the antics and unjustified ramblings of the Prime Minister and or his government Ministers.
Dr Douglas in recent statements have accused Hamilton of not being worthy of ever holding public office he had also accused both Grant and Richards of attempting to use their recent courts actions as a means of stalling the electoral process expressing the view that the Peoples Action Movement was afraid of losing for a fourth consecutive term.
He blamed the current financial woes experienced by Clico and British American by the decisions of CL Financial Board among them being Lawrence Duprey of Trinidad and Leroy Parris of Barbados.
He said that part of the problems surrounded huge investments around developments that these two individuals made in projects in Florida by CL financial and members of its group, which he said, resulted in a number of investments going sour.
“From all appearances the development company in Florida was owned by Lawrence Duprey and two other partners under a company named D Y L . Therefore, I want to say that British American and Clico are in very much the same position being subsidiaries of CL Financial however you do not hear accusations about Clico and its management team in St Kitts,” Grant said. He questioned if this is because Hamilton is not at the helm of Clico.
However, in some stinging accusations Grant stated that a 2007 report by Clico have shown that some 9 million United States dollars were spent on private jets and leasing of the company jets to travel to various parts around the world, which he noted, included the federation’s Prime Minister.
“The media needs to ask the Prime Minister to state how many times he has flown on jets owned and leased by Clico through friends and associates Duprey and Paris. When can the country expect him to withdraw the honorary consul status that Paris currently enjoys despite being at the centre of the Clico fiasco,” he said.
Grant said that the Prime Minister and his government love to accuse the Peoples Action Movement for a lot of things but go quiet sometimes; he suggested that the government has a lot to hide. Grant demanded that the Prime Minister should provide the public with the many answers that they seek in an attempt to demonstrate his honesty by revealing all information to the public.
Grant said that PAM views with disgust the “totally false and reckless statements” made by the Prime Minister who he said should know better and declared that tie will reveal all hidden information that the government has been hiding. Grant further noted that the Party finds it strange that as election nears, the Prime Minister, as he grapples with the economic and crime challenges would use this as a diversionary tactic. “We wish to state that while the Prime Minister has gone on unwarranted attacks on Mr. Hamilton and other party members critical and pertinent issues are being ignored as he (Dr Douglas) desperately seeks to manipulate the electoral system.”
“The statements made by the federation’s Prime Minister are reckless, irresponsible, and without foundation and any merit whatsoever but because it was made by the Prime Minister, PAM is requesting that Dr Douglas hands over whatever information that he has to the public”, Grant declared.
