by Eulana Weekes
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): The People’s Labour Party (PLP) gave a stinging lash to the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, accusing its leadership of engaging in secret land deals and selling out the birthright of the people.
According to a statement from the PLP camp, “This Drew-led Labour government has abandoned the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. Instead of empowering our farmers, small businesses, and young families, they are cutting secret deals and selling out our birthright. Our people are left with high costs of living, fewer opportunities, and no real stake in the land of their ancestors. We cannot—and will not—accept this.”
Dr Timothy Harris, People’s Labour Party’s leader, weighed in on the ongoing controversy over the Special Sustainability Zone and Nevis’ south east lands, accusing the government of betraying the very foundation on which the nation was built and the legacy of the federation’s first premier.
“This was a challenge that Bradshaw faced, you know, Bradshaw had faced a situation in our country where all the estates were up for grabs. People had begun to sell land. Jordans over at Bourryeau had sold lands, for example, to the people down at the monkey farm. People were beginning to sell piece- piece of what they call the private turf, and Bradshaw recognised that the country would not be able to develop properly if we allowed these people to just profiteer, and he went to the parliament. In fact, he had identified three critical things, I think, for the 1975 election. One was that we would go into independence. The second one was that we will acquire the sugar estate. Had he not acquired the sugar estate, we would have never get a piece of land for ourselves. That is what governments have to do- to take the interests of the majority of people, especially those who are vulnerable. That is how we begin to get land. That is how proper housing development began to take place. That is one of the reasons, too.”
Dr Harris recalled his tenure in office, highlighting that during his time at the helm, his government worked to reclaim land that had been lost under a “land-for-debt swap” agreement made by the Douglas administration. He expressed that the buyback was a critical step to ensure that the people retained control over their lands.
“When I came to office, I spent $408 million to buy that land from the National Bank, which Douglas had yielded on the so-called land for debt swap. That is why we were able to get a community centre in Ottleys because we took back the land from the bank and paid for it. That is why we were able to start housing development at Ottleys because we paid for the land. That is why we were able to have Deon Daniel become interested in housing and other development at Brighton’s because Harris government buy back the land. That is why we were able to get new projects over in constituency number four because Dr Harris government took back the land. We did all of this on behalf of the people, and when we exited government, having spent $408 million, that is how we got land in Cayon. All where Curtis is going to live, we bought back that land. That is what happened. That is where the transformation and development of the country is taking place now because we had the vision, and we understand that without land, you’re at risk. Every citizen has a right to a piece of the rock- every citizen, and the nationalisation of the land and the subsequent payment for the land allowed us to do so.”
Harris suggests that the government’s actions with the special sustainability zone are a threat to the hard-fought gains of the country.
“These things that they’re now attempting with the sustainable zone are to take us backwards. There are a few people coming, they figure they have money, and we don’t know money, and we don’t know value, so we will sell them, they will buy up, and then they’ll lock us out.”
The People’s Labour Party leader also accused Prime Minister Drew of attempting to distance himself from the controversial Special Sustainability Zone Authorisation Bill 2025, even though it was tabled in his name in Parliament. Speaking to an audience on National Heroes Day- September 16, 2025, Harris opined that the Prime Minister is trying to evade backlash as public resistance to the proposed legislation grows.
Harris expressed, “Well, my own view is that Dr Drew tells so much lies that he don’t know when to tell the truth. He’s in a habit, really, of telling lies, and really, he’s to lie, and this lie don’t make sense, because if it is that he says he don’t want get in Nevis business, why he didn’t tell Mark that? Why you brought the law to the federal parliament? If it is Nevis business, if Section 37, as he says, said that is a Nevis matter, well, leave it to the Nevis administration and its assembly there to deal with that particular land matter. You see, the mess now hit the fan and he recognised there is a problem. The bill was brought by Dr Drew. It was supported by Dr Douglas, and it was supported by Geoffrey. The man who seconded the bill was Mark Brantley. So he ain’t want to be in it, but he’s moving it. It is in his name. You see the calamity? You see the foolishness he’s telling sensible people. It is Nevis matter, so how you bring it down here in St. Kitts, at the federal level of the parliament? You moved it, Mark seconded it, Eric spoke on it, and Alexis spoke on it, and on the other side, it was Drew and it was Douglas, and it was Hanley who spoke on it. Most of the other government members, really, they had gone on their usual peripheral, their joy rides around the country, so they weren’t there, but that is how the bill [got] passed. The government did not have seven members present to give itself a quorum. So they called the meeting knowing that Mark will come down because Mark wants the bill, but Mark was doing a smartness- let it look like it is a federal matter, so when the mess come out now, you could say, well, we ain’t got nothing to do with it, but at last the truth has come out. They have outsmarted themselves, and that is a bad bill. It’s a bad bill.”
The controversy surrounding the Special Sustainability Zone Bill continues to escalate, with some predicting that it will remain a major flashpoint in the lead-up to the next general election. Public demonstrations are expected to intensify, building upon the Nevis Reformation Party’s public protest and rally on September 12.
