COMMISSIONER BRANDY HAILS PRIME MINISTER HARRIS’ LEADERSHIP IN MATTERS OF NATIONAL SECURITY

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, June 24, 2020 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris has been publicly recognized for his strong leadership as Minister of National Security throughout the first term of the Team Unity administration, and for how his leadership and commitment has translated to reductions in crime and violence and an improved sense of peace and safety across the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hilroy Brandy, while making an appearance on the popular virtual forum series Leadership Matters on Tuesday, June 23, told the nation that he has been able to depend on the wisdom, advice and commitment of Prime Minister Harris on matters of national security during his stint as acting police commissioner and when he was later appointed as the country’s Commissioner of Police as at June 01, 2019.

“As the Commissioner of Police, I have been working closely with the prime minister, who also serves as the Minister of National Security, and I must thank him for his efforts. He has proven to be one of the most helpful and supportive Minister of National Security that I have ever worked with,” stated Commissioner Brandy.

He added, “We can usually depend on a favourable response when we make requests for various types of assistance, and we can see his commitment to ensure that St. Kitts and Nevis is safe when we look at the investments in areas such as the forensic lab, the new police stations, the closed circuit TV programme, new police vehicles and the US$150,000 investment in our comparison microscope, among other things.”

The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has made significant and targeted increases in budgetary allocation to the Ministry of National Security in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.

The total budgetary allocation for National Security for 2020 was $99.2 million—63.5 million for recurrent expenditure and 35.7 million for capital expenditure, which is a 5 percent increase over 2019.

Commissioner Brandy concluded that after everything is considered, Prime Minister Harris “has shown great leadership as the Minister of National Security.”
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