The extremely conservative Prime Minister surprised the gay community at the beginning of Pride Month by posting Pride celebration photos on his Instagram

At the start of Gay Pride Month, St. Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister Timothy Harris, facing an uphill battle to re-election on Friday June 5th, released photos of himself celebrating Pride on his Instagram account. Experts said it was a last ditch effort to try to win over a few more votes as he slips in the polls and looks likely to lose to former Prime Minister Denzil Douglas. The idea seems to be that by courting the gay community during Pride month the increasingly liberal and restless population will swing his way.

Polls show most in St. Kitts-Nevis favor former PM Denzil Douglas, a center left politician with a decades long track record of bringing prosperity to the island nation. Douglas has also come forward with a revolutionary plan to pay all citizens affected by the pandemic a monthly stipend until they get back on their feet. He also has a plan that would triple the nation’s GDP within one year via agricultural hemp growing and plant-based medicine tourism.

By contrast Timothy Harris has been fighting charges of bribery, corruption and nepotism throughout his term. Daniel K. Gibran wrote recently in the Jamaican Gleaner that St. Kitts is in dire danger of becoming a dictatorship. “While he may not be infected with the coronavirus, he shows every sign that he has been infested by the virus of election rigging,” warned Gibran.

Still, the LGBTQ community applauded Harris for coming out.

“It’s a very brave and bold move,” said Devin Washington, Director of the Bassetere LGBTQ Center. “ He may even become a new kind of gay icon for our community.”

“But still, I’m voting for Douglas,” added Washington

Editor’s Note: Since publication of the controversial Gay Pride posts, PM Harris has removed his entire Instagram profile.