By Sue-Ann Wayow

Leader of the Opposition Pennelope Beckles is asking what is the real reason behind the cancellation of the Independence Day parade?

Following her statement last Friday, Beckles again raised the question at an Opposition press conference on Monday.

She tied in the issue of Defence Minister Wayne Sturge who is under heightened protection following the unearthing of a plot to destroy him and his family.

Beckles read information reported in a daily newspaper revealing several details and she asked, “How is it that an arrest hasn’t yet been made?”

She said, “These are the circumstances that are related to the whole issue of the parade and the cancellation of the parade and they are not able to arrest these persons who they clearly are identifying that they know.”

Beckles said, “We have always had a proud tradition of having our Independence parade. We are calling on the honourable prime minister to clear the air, we have heard from several of your ministers. The country now wants to hear from you.”

Also addressing the issue, Member of Parliament for Diego Martin North East Colm Imbert said, a Monday night forum would have been a good place to exterminate all members of Cabinet if persons so choose.

“Every Monday, the entire UNC Cabinet assembles in some part of the country at night, if somebody wanted to exterminate all of these high officials, they are all there in one spot,” he said

Imbert said at the Independence Day parade, all divisions of law enforcement are gathered in one spot making it therefore one of the safest places to be.

He asked, “If the Cabinet feels safe to assemble in some area of the country at night, where there be ten police guarding them, how can they feel unsafe at the Independence Parade in the morning in daylight with 1000 armed persons around them?”

Member of Parliament for St Ann’s East Dr Nyan Gadsy-Dolly also said it may not have been a matter of finances to host the parade but a matter of priority.

Speaking at a press conference to discuss the cancellation of the parade, Minister of Legal Affairs Saddam Hosein said, “Together with the costs associated with the parade, those are matters we have looked at and we have believed as a government that we can use those funds and channel it towards law enforcement to conduct further operations in order to handicap the criminals.”