PM Douglas commends ‘leadership and statesmanship’ of Hon. Richard Skerritt

Senator Hon. Richard Skerrit

ST. KITTS, MARCH 11TH 2010 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has commended the Hon. Richard “Ricky” Skerrit for volunteering to resign from his ministerial responsibilities Wednesday morning to allow the National Assembly to elect a Deputy Speaker.

“I wish to commend Minister Skerrit for his statesmanship and leadership displayed in order to thwart the attempt by the opposition parties to create confusion and disrupt the formal opening of the National Assembly and the election of a Deputy Speaker,” Dr. Douglas told the Communications Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister (CUOPM) prior to his departure for Dominica to attend the CARICOM Inter-Sessional.

Prime Minister Douglas said there are options to deal with the issue including the expansion of the number of senators in the National Assembly or for the deputy speaker to be elected from outside the senate in line with the necessary changes to the constitution.

During the formal opening of the National Assembly, the opposition senator, Hon. Vincent Byron declined the nomination as Deputy Speaker.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Hon. Informed the Speaker, Hon. Curtis Martin that the Hon. Richard Skerritt, Minister of Tourism and International Transport has resigned his ministerial responsibilities.

The Constitution does not allow a member of the Cabinet to serve as Deputy Speaker.