Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 20, 2024 (PMO)– Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew has called for the upcoming court case involving the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis and its former General Manager, Lenworth Harris, to be televised. The case, scheduled for January 29, 2025, will shed light on allegations of financial mismanagement and misuse of public funds under Harris’s leadership.
“This trial must be televised. Transparency is vital to democracy, and the people deserve to know what occurred with their money,” Prime Mininster Drew stated emphatically during the wrap-up of the 2025 Appropriation Bill debate. The Prime Minister emphasized that the court proceedings will provide an opportunity for citizens to hear firsthand the details of how public funds were allegedly mishandled.
A forensic audit conducted by the Canadian firm MNP LLP revealed troubling financial irregularities during Harris’s tenure. These include the misuse of $74 million in government loans, questionable expenditures related to the purchase of Southwell House, and a lack of proper records to account for significant transactions. “The audit uncovered that millions of dollars went unaccounted for, with no proper oversight or governance in place,” The Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister also criticized the former administration’s decision to halt external audits for the Development Bank starting in 2018, a move that undermined the institution’s financial credibility. “Stopping external audits created black holes for funds to disappear. It was a deliberate act that compromised transparency and accountability,” he asserted.
Dr. Drew highlighted the broader implications of such mismanagement, noting that it left the Development Bank in significant financial distress. “The bank was unable to meet its financial obligations both in the short term and long term. This level of negligence endangered one of our most critical institutions, which serves as a lifeline for students, small businesses, and ordinary citizens.”
To ensure transparency and public trust, PM Drew has urged media outlets and citizens to pay close attention to the upcoming trial. “This is not just about uncovering corruption; it is about protecting the people’s money and rebuilding trust in our financial institutions,” he said. “The Development Bank is for the people, and its funds should benefit the people, not disappear into black holes of mismanagement.”
The Drew-led administration is taking strategic steps to strengthen oversight and governance across all public financial institutions. Initiatives include mandatory external audits, improved reporting mechanisms, and stricter compliance with financial regulations. “We are determined to restore integrity to our public institutions. The lessons from this case will guide us in ensuring such breaches never happen again.”
Notably, the court case will address claims of wrongful dismissal filed by Lenworth Harris, as well as a counterclaim by the Development Bank seeking accountability for financial losses suffered under his management. The Prime Minister called for maximum transparency during the proceedings, emphasizing that a televised trial would provide citizens with a clear understanding of the facts.
