BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – A call for Minister of Public Infrastructure, Posts, Urban Development and Transport, Hon. Ian “Patches” Liburd to resign.
The call has come from former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Works and Energy, Dr. Earl Asim Martin, who disclosed that a factory shell on the industrial site was already procured by Prime Building Depot to carry on the business.
There has been a public outcry after Liburd registered a private company to import cement and building materials.
“I am calling on Mr. Liburd to resign on the grounds of a conflict of interest,” said Dr. Martin, who read from documents signed by Liburd as the sole Director in registering Prime Building Depot Inc.
Dr. Martin pointed out that the government minister deliberately kept one of his well know names from inclusion on the document to prevent the raising of eyebrows.
“It is signed Ian McDonald Liburd and if you did not know all the names of that person, one would be confused as the other name ‘Patches’ is missing. Why did he not include all the names?” asked Dr. Martin who suggested that it was a deliberate attempt by Mr. Liburd to hide the real ownership of the company from the public.
“This is the Minister of Public Works, who is involved in the overall infrastructural development of St. Kitts and Nevis and who has formed a company to deal with shipping, the importation and distribution of building materials. Who is going to purchase the building materials when they arrive in St. Kitts? Will government entities such as the National Housing Corporation (NHC), his own Ministry of Public Works and other ministries purchase these materials from Ian Mac Donald Liburd, the Minister of Public Works? Dr. Martin further asked.
He told listeners to Freedom 106.5 FM Issues programme that he has information that the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis was approached to provide a factory shell at the C. A. Paul Southwell Industrial Park.
“He is already in possession of the factory shell,” said Dr. Martin, who scoffed at Mr. Liburd’s media statement that there is no intention to activate the company.
“If there is no intention to activate the company, why would you need a factory shell,” asked Dr. Martin again reiterating that there was every intention to compete with local companies such as TDC, S.L. Horsford, Building Paradise, Kassab Hardware and others.
He said the country is not surprised by the minister’s intention as “the captain of the country is doing the same,” with the establishment of several companies by government ministers since the Team Unity coalition took office.
Dr. Martin called on civil society to break their deafening silence. “We would want to hear the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Bar Association and others on this matter,” said Dr. Martin who lost to Liburd by four votes in the February 2015 General Election.