A respect by Government for democratic principles is an essential element of the economic development of a small developing country such as ours. The democracy, and consequently the economic development of St. Kitts and Nevis, will be tenuous at best so long as the major legislative organ of the state, namely the National Assembly, continues to be operated in an undemocratic manner with complete disregard for the majority of the elected Representatives of that body.

The Speaker’s failure to permit the National Assembly to debate and vote on the MONC is a serious departure from the expected standards of democratic governance in our constitutional democracy.

lt is a serious blot on our democracy and a major deterrent to the advancement of our nation.

The Chamber calls again on the Speaker to table the MONC. We call on the Prime Minister to ensure that the MONC is tabled in keeping with the principle which he recognised in his address to the Chamber in December 2012 that a MONC requires priority attention in the legislature.