BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE recent speech given by the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis in which he announced the removal of VAT from all foods and other goods and services, has been criticised by former Minister of Government the Hon. Marcella Liburd as being empty and lacks substance.
The speech, which could be termed the first major one of the Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris since he was appointed Prime Minister on February 18, 2015, highlighted the difficulties his Government has experienced since taking office and the initiatives it undertook.
Liburd, the Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Number Two, appeared on Freedom FM’s ‘Issues’ programme sometime last week when she voiced her opinion on the speech.
“To me it was just as Shakespeare described it in Macbeth…Full of sound and fury but signifying nothing. It was empty! The speech had no vision for the country. Anybody at all who wanted to know where the country was going, they certainly can’t look to that speech. No plan for the country, wasn’t forward looking, it lacked substance.”
In addition to expressing that the speech lacked creativity and vision, Liburd listed several areas which she suggested should have been outlined therein.
She said there was no mention of Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) and its funds being placed in the consolidated fund; the promised increase for workers of the People’s Empowerment Programme (PEP); the quantifying of a livable wage; and when that wage and plans to effect such within the Federation; the $500 which was promised on the campaign trail; and plans, if any, for regaining the lands that were swapped for debt.
Liburd said plans for constitutional reform were also absent from the speech and the $16M which has been promised to former sugar workers. The latter, however, has since been addressed.
“It really was a lot of empty rhetoric with no vision at all for people going forward,” she added.
