St. Kitts and Nevis: PM Drew wants in-court cameras for Development Bank case to boost transparency and public faith

Dr. Terrance Drew, the prime minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, has once again sought greater transparency in legal proceedings that involve the country’s Development Bank and its former general manager Lenworth Harris. In his first Roundtable talks of 2025 that were held on January 7, the prime minister underscored the importance of public access to the case, saying the lawsuit was initiated by Harris and not the government of St. Kitts and Nevis. 

The case, scheduled for January 29, will throw light on allegations of financial mismanagement and misuse of public funds under the leadership of Harris who sued the bank alleging wrongful termination and was countersued by the lender. 

The Labour prime minister said the people of the island-nation deserved to know the truth related to the Development Bank and he has instructed the attorney general to put up cameras in the courtroom so that people get to see and hear the facts directly. 

PM Drew added that transparency and accountability are two pillars of his administration. 

He said the case stemmed from a lawsuit which the former general manager filed against the financial institution. Dismissing that there was any government-led witch hunt, Drew stressed that law should take its course. 

“This is about accountability and ensuring that our public institutions operate with the highest standards of governance and integrity,” Drew remarked. He also said cameras in the courtroom will not only affirm his government’s commitment to transparency in public affairs but also help citizens understand legal issues better and trust the judicial process more. 

PM Drew made an identical demand in December last year when he said the case involving the bank and its former general manager should be televised. In his wrap-up of the 2025 Appropriation Bill debate, he said people deserved to know what happened with their money. 

Development Bank controversy

In December 2024, PM Drew unveiled plans to bring two key resolutions in Parliament to make financial transparency and accountability robust. These resolutions aimed to safeguard the financial integrity of the Development Bank and the Social Security System so that past controversies did not reoccur. 

PM Drew said while the first resolution would mandate that any decision taken to suspend the bank’s external audits must be brought to Parliament’s notice, the second would require parliamentary approval for any borrowing from Social Security. He said the measures are necessary to protect people’s interests and maintain their confidence in the country’s financial institutions. 

The prime minister’s announcements came after it was alleged that the Development Bank saw significant financial mismanagement, including the suspension of external audits in 2018-19. It led to more than EC$300 million in debt accruing. 

A forensic audit done by Canadian firm MNP LLP unearthed financial irregularities during Harris’s tenure. They included misuse of $74 million in government loans, dubious expenditures related to the purchase of Southwell House, and the absence of proper records to support significant transactions. 

Prime Minister Drew said the audit revealed that millions of dollars were unaccounted for. 

Drew accuses former administration

Dr. Terrance Drew said the alleged mismanagement posed a major risk to the Social Security system, threatening pensions and benefits of thousands of citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis. He accused the previous government led by Timothy Harris of handling funds recklessly to put thousands of people’s futures in danger. 

In his Roundtable talks this month, the prime minister assured the citizens that the current government was taking proactive steps to restore confidence in the bank and other important institutions. 

He said the country could not afford a repeat of the mistakes of the past and the Labour administration was strong-willed to put in place “a culture of transparency, accountability, and good governance across the board”. 

The Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, which was earlier formally known as Development Finance Corporation, is an important institution in the social and financial mobility of the citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis.