Opposition labels gov’t explanation as deceitful “Unscrupulous persons in high places are prepared to demand and accept US$1 million payments for granting diplomatic status.”This is according to Opposition Leader Hon. Mark Brantley as he addressed the nation Wednesday (Nov 27) in response to the government’s explanation regarding the Iranian who triggered alarms with Canadian border agents when he brandished a St. Kitts-Nevis diplomatic passport and claimed he was there to meet with Canada’s Prime Minister. Government’s only response to widespread media reports that the Iranian, Alizera Moghadam told Canadian authorities he paid $ 1million for the preferential travel document, was to confirm that it did approve his diplomatic status sometime after he had obtained Economic citizenship. Brantley remains unconvinced that Nisbett and the government has been forthcoming in the matter. “The statement of Minister Nisbett on such a fundamental issue as to our nation’s citizenship and diplomatic status concealed more than it revealed,”he said. “Minister Nisbett failed and or refused to speak to the issue of the alleged US$1 million paid for the diplomatic passport. I can confirm that under the applicable laws of St. Kitts and Nevis and international norms, diplomatic passports are not for sale. The question then of who received this alleged US$1 million in exchange for bestowing diplomatic status upon this Iranian national is a matter of heated speculation which demands a sensible response.”Former Cabinet Minister turned leader of a united Opposition, Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris also blasted the government’s statement as “misleading and false”. He too said crucial issues went unexplained including whether Moghadam paid $1 million for the passport; if he did was the money paid into the treasury, the SIDF or Citizenship by Investment Program; and why the government would appoint the Iranian national Special Envoy to Turkey “when St. Kitts and Nevis already has two Honorary Consuls in Turkey, plus Michael Morton, an Honorary Consul of Turkey resident in St. Kitts and Nevis?””What we had Tuesday was a lot of noise and no answers; emptiness came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs because when you go through the long ‘chala chala’ fundamental questions remain unanswered,”Harris told The Observer. Dr. Harris said as alarming as the Canadian incident has been, it is just the tip of the ice-berg as only the Prime Minister knows how many St. Kitts-Nevis passports are in the hands of Iranians. “What this incident and other recent incidents in Canada have done is diminish the value of our passport. Canada and other important countries are raising serious questions about the due diligence in relation to the issuance of our passport.”Hon. Brantley said there is documented proof that St. Kitts-Nevis’ visa-free status with Canada had been seriously threatened. “We must set about repairing our image internationally and we must set about it now with alacrity. “We wish also to make it pellucid to the Denzil Douglas-led regime that our patrimony and our dignity and pride as Kittitians and Nevisians are not for sale. Our nation must not become a harlot for the highest bidder.”
