By LR LiburdThe St. Kitts-Nevis Observer
In what is perceived in some quarters as becoming a norm when ‘hard’ questions are being asked about certain matters involving members of the Government of National Unity, Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris does not provide direct answers but instead circumvents.
This perception comes in the wake of the answer Dr. Harris gave to a question posed by a media representative at his monthly press conference held on Monday (May 30) in the Parliamentary Lounge at Government Headquarters.
The question was in relation to concerns raised about the purportedly long delay in Ambassador Jonel Powell receiving his Instrument of Appointment.
In a letter written to the Prime Minister, to which The Observer was privy, Powell, who was announced by Dr. Harris as the designated Ambassador and Special Envoy to the Ministries of Sports and Culture at a press conference on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, had indicated that he would surrender his diplomatic passport until the matter was resolved.
In his letter, Powell said, “Approximately one year later I am yet to receive an instrument of appointment or a contract to this effect.”
When questioned on the issue, Dr. Harris said, “I would say that Mr. Powell is an Ambassador of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis. If there are issues, those issues will be dealt with in terms of his terms at the appropriate place at the Cabinet level.”
The embattled Ambassador noted that “over the past 12 months I have had several meetings with your good self, the Honourable Minister Richards and the Minister I report to, the Honourable Attorney General and a discussion with the Cabinet Secretary, all to address this matter. To date this issue remains unresolved.”
The People’s Action Movement’s candidate for Constituency Two spoke to his discomfiture as the holder of a diplomatic passport while still waiting for his Instrument of Appointment, and explained the reason for having it returned.
“I hereby return my diplomatic passport to your custody until such time as the situation can be justified”.
Continuing his response to the question, PM Harris said: “As it stands, Mr. Powell continues to serve as an Ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
When asked by the reporter how bona fide could it be if Powell did not received his Instrument of Appointment, Dr. Harris said: “Well you are asking me a question as if you have the facts on that matter. And I am saying if there are issues that have been put in relation to that, then those will be dealt with appropriately in the context of the Cabinet and in the context of the legal framework of the Government.”
He pointed out that Powell was active as the Ambassador and that he has been pursuing those assignments, but there were no inhibitions or obstruction to him undertaking the assignments that were given to him.
“If something has now unfolded,” he added, “at the appropriate place we will have the discussion.”
Prime Minister Harris claimed that on the last occasion he spoke with Powell, the young Attorney-at-Law had indicated that he was en route travelling overseas.
“I myself just returned to the country, I report, later this week. So I myself haven’t had a chance to have the kind of discussion that I would need with him in a face-to-face environment. So he continues to serve. He told me he was very happy being the Ambassador for the Team Unity Administration, and that was as late as yesterday.
