Dr. Hon. Timothy Harris Condemns Christophe Harbour Deal as “Rape and Robbery”

Dr. Timothy Harris, leader of the People’s Labour Party (PLP) and former Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, delivered a searing indictment of the Christophe Harbour development project, characterizing it as a “blatant rape” of the nation. He accused the developers of a profound betrayal, highlighting broken promises, crippling debt defaults, and the exploitation of public institutions for private gain. Harris argued that the project, initially presented as a self-financed venture that would usher in unprecedented economic prosperity, instead became a burden on the nation’s taxpayers, leaving behind a trail of financial devastation and unfulfilled promises.

Central to Harris’s accusations was the developers’ failure to adhere to their commitment to self-finance the project’s infrastructure. Instead of investing their own capital, they borrowed heavily from the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank, the nation’s public bank, to construct the Christophe Harbour Marina and Customs House. This action, Harris contends, constituted a clear violation of the original development agreement and saddled the nation with substantial debt while the developers seemingly escaped accountability. He presented stark figures to illustrate the extent of the financial damage, including over $49 million in arrears to the National Bank, with only a paltry $2.7 million reportedly recovered. Further debts included nearly $6 million owed to the electricity corporation and over $4.5 million outstanding to the Social Security Board, a critical safety net for the nation’s workers.

The promised economic windfall of US $17 billion over 20 years, a key selling point of the project, never materialized, according to Harris. He lamented the stark contrast between the lavish marina, a symbol of the project’s opulence, and the financial burden borne by the taxpayers who effectively financed its construction. As the 20-year customs and duty-free concession period expires, the nation is left with little more than a monument to broken promises and a crippling debt burden, a far cry from the envisioned economic transformation.

Harris directed his criticism at the current Prime Minister, Dr. Terrance Drew, accusing his administration of maintaining a veil of secrecy around the purported sale of the Christophe Harbour development. He demanded transparency regarding the identity of the new buyer, the sale price, the terms of the agreement, any concessions granted, and the measures in place to hold the original developers accountable for their financial defaults. Harris dismissed Prime Minister Drew’s public statements as vague and rehearsed platitudes, insufficient to address the gravity of the situation. He characterized the outcome not as a victory but as a national disgrace, reflecting a failure of leadership and a lack of accountability.

In response to this perceived betrayal, Harris outlined the PLP’s commitment to holding those responsible accountable and rectifying the damage inflicted on the nation. He pledged that a PLP government would conduct a comprehensive audit of the entire Christophe Harbour deal, from its inception to the present, to uncover the full extent of the financial mismanagement and potential wrongdoing. Furthermore, he promised to pursue legal action to recover the outstanding debts and enforce the original contract terms, ensuring that the developers are held financially responsible for their actions.

Transparency is another cornerstone of the PLP’s proposed approach. Harris committed to full disclosure of all financial details surrounding the current sale of the development, ensuring that the public has access to the information necessary to assess the deal and hold the government accountable. He emphasized the need to dismantle the culture of impunity that has allowed foreign developers to exploit the resources and trust of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. This case, he argued, is not just about Christophe Harbour; it represents a broader struggle against corruption and a fight for the soul of the nation.

The Christophe Harbour project, once heralded as a gateway to prosperity, now stands as a symbol of broken promises and financial mismanagement. The $60 million debt burden represents a significant setback for the nation, a stark contrast to the envisioned economic transformation. Dr. Harris’s impassioned address served as a call to action, a demand for accountability, and a promise to fight for the interests of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. He framed the issue not merely as a failed development project but as a fundamental betrayal of trust, a wound that requires healing through transparency, accountability, and a renewed commitment to responsible governance. The fight, he declared, is far from over.