St. Kitts and Nevis PM wants immediate end to destruction of campaign material

BASSETERRE, ST Kitts, CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas has called on supporters of political parties here to immediately stop the destruction of electioneering material as the twin-island Federation prepares to elect a new government on January 25.

“I wish to address, in the strongest possible terms, a phenomenon that is neither cute, funny nor acceptable, but which some in our society choose to see as the most effective means of expressing their political allegiance,” Douglas said in a brief address to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force over the weekend.

He described the incidents as “unacceptable behavior” insisting “this must stop”.

“ I emphasise that elections are around the corner. We know that we all feel very strongly about the parties that our fellowmen and women support in this country. But it is precisely because of the strength of our emotions that we must ensure that we keep our emotions in check.

“Human nature is such that the defacing or destruction of one party’s signs will most assuredly lead to the retaliatory defacing of the other party’s signs, and this could very easily spin out of control, taking us in directions that none of us, at this time, can predict, but where we all know, we most certainly do not wish to go,” said Douglas.

Both the ruling St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) and the main opposition People’s Action Movement (PAM) have complained to the authorities that their campaign materials have been destroyed as the campaign intensifies ahead of the election.

Douglas said citizens should not tolerate that form of campaign that in the end would sully the name of the island.

“I demand restraint because these types of unchecked emotions can have an impact not only during an election, but they twist and distort societies forever.

“To the police, to the wider society, to the supporters of all political parties I state and I stress, this must stop. And more importantly, anyone found guilty of these actions, I expect that they will be dealt with by the police and with the full force of the law,” Douglas said.