PM Terrance Drew condemns false allegations by Ian “Patches” Liburd on his son

The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew condemned the baseless and defamatory allegations made by Ian “Patches” Liburd. These allegations were made by him during his broadcast of “Straight Talk” on 3^rd October, 2024.

Prime Minister Terrance Drew denounced all the claims of misusing government funds to finance overseas trips for his family and friends. He stated that all these claims made by Liburd are utterly false and represent a desperate attempt to defame his family and him.

The Prime Minister added that it may be productive for the members of the public office to ignore such defamatory statements from those individuals who are seeking attention. However, he further added that every time, silence is not an option, sometimes it is important to take a stand for themselves.

He added that whenever a mature man tries his political propaganda towards a minor child, it means that he is crossing the line and cannot be tolerated. The Prime Minister shed light on the claim made by Liburd regarding his son, TJ holding a government-appointed position as an ambassador, and receiving a monthly salary of $10,000.

While clearing the matter, the Prime Minister stated that TJ holds no government-appointed position. Also, he does not receive any form of financial remuneration as falsely claimed by Liburd and others.

The Prime Minister added that his son TJ’s role as an Ambassador for the St Kitts and Nevis Robotics Association (SKNRA) is through a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which is affiliated with Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College.

PM Drew stated that his son has been voluntarily contributing his skills and passion to robotics. And, his appointment as one of the many Ambassadors for SKNRA is completely based on his dedication and commitment.

He added that his son has been an active association member since 2017 and his recognition of “Ambassador for SKNRA” shed light on his commitment and passion for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM).

“We have confirmed though, that he [TJ] has been appointed for some time now as Ambassador of Robotics, whatever the hell that means”—demonstrates not only gross ignorance of the facts but also a deliberate attempt to belittle a teenager’s hard work and dedication,” noted PM Terrance Drew.

He added that his son, TJ is fully entitled to and deserves to have his honour and reputation safeguarded, regardless of the fact that he is the son of the Prime Minister. “I call on Mr. Ian ‘Patches’ Liburd to immediately retract his false statements and publicly apologise to TJ.”

He also mentioned the importance of celebrating World Children’s Day and asked the world to reaffirm their commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. “Let us renew our collective responsibility to protect children from being exploited as pawns or collateral damage in political battles. No child should ever again be subjected to such cruel and callous attacks.”