The St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party held it’s 84th Conference over the weekend at the Royal St.Kitts Hotel (Formerly Jack Tar). Party loyalists attended the event which featured Damon Crawford as the special guest Speaker.
The annual conference largely deals with the election of officers to the leadership of the party. The Party Executive remained the same for the most part except for the glaring absence of the Party’s Parliamentarian and Senator Nigel Carty who had served for at least a decade as the Deputy Chairman of the 84 plus year old Political organization.
Reports from sources close to the party have indicated that the party’s overseas strategists and advisors had strongly recommended that Carty be replaced and removed from the forefront of the party. Carty is widely perceived and viewed as arrogant and oftenlabelled as an unelectable politician .
At the most recent sitting of the National Assembly the former Minister of Information Technology, Communications and Education in the ousted Douglas regime was removed from the Parliament by Ag Speaker Micheal Perkins as a result of his deplorable conduct.
The party leadership , the rank and file of LABOUR along with the entire Nation were enraged over recent disclosures in parliament that Carty’s health bill of over over EC$135,000 (US 50,057.60) was met by the state .
The monies were paid in medical fees to Baptist Health International in Florida for his treatment after suffering an illness in 2011.
SKNIS reported that Two St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank cheques, one totaling USD$ 6,001.63 dated October 13, 2011 and the other USD$ 44,055.97 dated November 23, 2011, were sent to the International Accounts Specialist at Baptist Health International on November 24, 2011, for the senator’s two week hospitalization.
Senator Carty took ill during the visit of the Cabinet Ministers to high schools in St. Kitts and Nevis to distribute personal laptops to fourth and fifth formers. He was first hospitalized at the Joseph Nathaniel France (JNF) Hospital in St. Kitts but had to be flown out of the country after his condition allegedly deteriorated.
Former Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas subsequently reported to the country that Senator Carty had undergone emergency surgery. However, the nature of illness and surgery were undisclosed.
The failure of the Douglas led regime to reveal the nature of Cartys illness allowed speculation in the public domain that the illness was of a psychological nature. Carty himself since his return has never disclosed publicly what his health situation was.
The Douglas led govt felt more compelled to spend taxpayers money on Cartys alleged issues as opposed to providing similar or even more well needed and life threatening assistance to other less fortunate Nationals who suffered for help from cancer and other serious ailments.
Carty, who was at one time considered the heir apparent to the Leadership of the Party also created quite a stir when it was revealed that he received duty free concession on on a property. He was the First govt minister in history to be accorded a duty free house . To make matters worst the Senator, after constructing the duty free mansion, rented or leased the property to the then Chief of Police C.G Walwyn . Carty is alleged to have received over a quarter million dollars from the rental of his duty free property to Walwyn . The bill for Walwyn’s housing was paid for and carried by the govt.
These misdeeds and more have now resulted in the discarding of Carty to what some persons are describing as the political rubbish heap.
Carty has been replaced on the Labour Executive by unsuccessful labour candidate Dr. Terrance Drew. Drew lost by a whopping 256 Eugene Hamilton at last years February 16th Elections
The Party’s Newly Elected Executive includes:
National Leader Dr. Denzil L.Douglas
Deputy Leader. Dr.Earl Asim Martin
Chairperson Marcella Liburd
Vice Chair Dr.Terrance Drew
Secretary Diana Williams-Humphrey
Asst Secretary. Karen Crossman
Treasurer Shavon Douglas
Three Elected Members.
Kenny Douglas
Lexi Peets
Thamesha Fyfield
Designated Members of the Executive
Constituency # 2 Rudy Morton
Constituency #3. Vincia Herbert .
Constituency #5. Carl Lake
Constituency #6. Ruby Taylor
