PM welcomes re-schedule of matter; Legal Team travel to St. Lucia
Basseterre, St. Kitts (CUOPM) — St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has welcomed the decision of the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal to re-schedule hearing the Constituency Boundaries case from February 9th to February 4th.
The matter will be heard in St. Lucia on Wednesday where the Court is based.
The Federation’s Legal Team is comprised of Attorney General, the Hon. Jason Hamilton; Solicitor-General Mrs. Simone Bullen-Thompson; Lord Goldsmith; Mr. Anthony Astaphan, S.C. and Angelina Sookoo. Lord Goldsmith will make his submissions from London via teleconference, while the other members travelled to St. Lucia.
Commenting on the matter during his weekly radio programme “Ask the Prime Minister,” Dr. Douglas recalled that the High Court, having been misled by the Opposition, granted an injunction halting the use of the newly established boundaries.
“Once the Court was given all of the facts, however, the injunction was withdrawn, and the Court declared that the St. Kitts- and Nevis Parliament had indeed adjusted the Federation’s boundaries in a way that was legal, constitutional, responsible, and proper. That was great news for our Federation, and we all – with good reason – rejoiced. As you know, the Opposition decided to appeal this. But again, there seems to have been took the case to Court of Appeals but again, there seems to have been some confusion and misunderstandings, resulting in the Court of Appeals scheduling the appeals hearing after Nomination Day,” Dr. Douglas told listeners.
Last week he explained the Government pointed out this error to the Court of Appeals and asked that the hearing be re-scheduled to precede Nomination Day which is February 6th.
“We are very pleased to be able to report that the Court of Appeals has graciously agreed to change the date that they had originally established – from February 9th until February 4th – and for this we are most grateful,” said Prime Minister Douglas.