Has the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity/PAM Government compromised the criminal justice system?

November 03, 2016 in National

NigelCarty-1BASSETERRE, ST KITTS – The removal of the Trinidad-born Travers Sinanan Director of Public Prosecution from office when the Timothy Harris-led PLP/CCM/PM Government took office was a bad signal for the criminal justice system in St. Kitts and Nevis.

The former Director of Public Prosecution was sent packing. Mr. Sinanan who filed a law suit against the government later reached an out of court settlement with Attorney General Hon. Vincent Byron for a reported EC$1.5 million. The exact figure has never been disclosed and cannot be disclosed due to a non-disclosure agreement between the parties and sanctioned by the Court.

Opposition senator in the National Assembly, Hon. Nigel Carty on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Harris of continuing to undermine the criminal justice system by having two of his sisters as magistrates, with one sitting on the bench in the Court which serves the constituency in which he lives and represents.

Mr. Carty said a number of prisoners were released from jail just after the Harris-led government won the general elections in February 2015 in exchange for the votes of their parents and that could be one of the reasons for the level of criminal activity St Kitts and Nevis is experiencing today.

A number of the persons arrested recently are among those who were released and had they not been released could not have perpetrated the serious crimes against the people of this country,” said Carty.

He questioned the case of Kenrick Simmonds, son of former Prime Minister the Right Excellent Sir Kennedy Simmonds who was arrested by police and charged as a result of the alleged importation of drugs into St Kitts over a year ago.

“I told the nation when Kenrick Simmonds was arrested with the other guys that nothing will come of that matter. I told you that despite the evidence and the seriousness of the offences in which one Antiguan fisherman was killed in the police operation and drugs were seized, nothing has become of that matter,” said Carty.

“These events serve only to undermine the credibility of the police and not because of any fault of their own necessarily, but the government appears to be directing political leadership over the police force which it ought not to have,” said Carty.

He accused unnamed members of a Black Knights gang from Tabernacle of responsibility of several crimes including removing the political billboards of the Labour Party candidate Vance Gilbert, burning down of the Venezuelan Embassy, setting fire to the OAS Mission in St Kitts, encouraging and paying people to shoot up the home of radio station owner/businessman A.U. Browne, setting fire to the campaign office of Labour Party Central Basseterre Representative, Hon. Marcella Office on the morning of the Feb 16 2015 General Election and puncturing the car tires of Labour supporters attending political rallies in Tabernacle and Sandy Point.

Now the people of the country are praying with their lives for the crime now festering in this country. It is now a stench in this country and people have become more fearful,” said Carty