SKNLP leader calls on electorate to ‘unite and take country back’

BASSETERRE, St Kitts – Political leader of the opposition St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), Dr Terrance Drew has unveiled the 2022 general elections manifesto which lists seven pillars for positive change.

“You have gotten just a taste of our visionary, transformative and high-impact plans in health, education, the economy, healthcare, housing, agriculture and much, much more,” Dr Drew told the massive crowd at the official opening of campaign headquarters of his St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party.

“This is still just a taste of all the great plans that the St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) has in store for you,” said Dr Drew, who added that the e-manifesto will be revealed on the evening of Nomination Day on Tuesday 26 July.

He said the SKNLP will continue to set the standard and deliver the future that the people deserve under his bold, responsive and accountable leadership.

Dr Drew called on the electorate to “unite and take our country back from this useless, incompetent, uncaring, neglectful, victimizing [Timothy Harris-led] government. Their time is up! The clock has run out on them,” said Dr Drew.

He pointed out that judging from the energy of the current campaign, the people of St Kitts and Nevis are ready for Labour as “St Kitts and Nevis is headed over a cliff.”

“It is time to change direction. It is time to change – the change. Poll after poll is telling us that the people are ready for change. They are fed up with nepotism and with widespread corruption. The people are fed up with the high level of joblessness, underemployment and the high cost of living,” Dr Drew told the crowd. He added that the people want a government that will provide the kind of representation that will put people first and not just a handful of friends and family members.

“The people St Kitts and Nevis have suffered for far too long under the pressure and disgrace of a creeping dictatorship,” said Dr Drew, who pointed out that following the withdrawal of support for Harris by the majority of his cabinet ministers, who later filed a Motion of No Confidence in prime minister Harris, the prime minister fired six cabinet ministers and is administering the country with three of the 11 elected representatives.

He noted that the last seven years have not been easy on the people, especially the last two years after COVID-19.

“Thousands are out of work or are working on severely-reduced hours [and] so many of our businesses are struggling to stay open. So many of our small businesses have had to close and many our self-employed are not receiving any income at all,” Dr Drew pointed out.

He recalled that during the height of COVID-19 in 2020 “the people of the federation were abandoned during the pandemic.”

“You were locked down with no food. They left whole families to perish in quarantine,” said Dr Drew, who expressed the view that the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity Government’s COVID-19 Economic response has been woefully inadequate and many are not getting the help they need.

“The St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party wants to put an end to the suffering of our people. St Kitts and Nevis is in dire need of creative, innovative and competent leadership at this time to navigate our country successfully to better days. We have the plans and the vision that would put the new post-covid economy back on track and help our citizens to not just survive but thrive under a new normal, The St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party will leave no one behind and no stone unturned once elected to government on August 5, 2022. We will ease the squeeze of our people,” said Dr Drew.