Five-term Labour Party Member of Parliament the Honourable Dr. Earl Asim Martin says that the Labour Party has mandated its Members in Parliament to pass the Increase of Numbers of Senators' Bill.
Martin made that statement during his contribution to the debate of the Bill on Tuesday. He said, in response to opposition by his own colleague Timothy Harris, that the Labour Party Executive mandated its Members in Parliament to pass the Bill. He refuted suggestions by colleague Harris that the Labour Party Government is not looking after the poor. Martin highlighted that in St. Kitts, all Government have been paid on time every month unlike other islands. Martin further outlined that only under a Labour Administration does the Government understand the plight of poor people. He said that despite the global challenges that St. Kitts and Nevis has not been immune to, "we have been able to hold our own". Martin, in his contribution to the debate on the Bill, reminded Harris that it was only in December that the Labour Government launched the PEP 1,000 program to provide job opportunities for 1,000 persons.Harris did not attend the launch. Martin refuted suggestions that the Labour Party has moved away from its philosophy. He said, "Housing has been the hallmark of this Labour Government. The poor people never had that opportunity before until Labour." "We have made land available for the ordinary people of the country; under Labour we have provided money to the Development Bank to make it possible for thousands of young people to get student loans for University studies compared to the opposition Party when it was in office and only two dozen people got an opportunity." "And more will continue to get to go (to study). Last year in September, almost six million dollars the Labour Administration put into the Development Bank to facilitate students". The Bill speaks to the increase in the number of senators.
