BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – INFORMATION reaching this publication suggests that the Boundaries Commission might be meeting sometime next week, possibly to review the recent judgment of the High Court which nullified its September 2013 report which suggested changes to the constituency boundaries in St. Kitts and Nevis.
This comes after conflicting information was given in the Federal Parliament earlier this week with the Attorney General the Hon. Jason Hamilton indicating that the Commission was already in the process of reviewing the judgment and member of the Commission the Hon. Vincent Byron informing that the Commission has not yet met for the review.
“There was no aspersion cast in relation to the Commission itself. There was no reference to the Commission or the work of the Commission and so…the life of the Commission still exists, the Commission still has its work (to) carry out its mandate before this house closes for this session.
“And so…the Commission is currently reviewing the judgment in relation to the course of action going forward. The work of the Commission will continue. And so…we are just informing the public of the position in relation to that matter and the possibilities that exist coming out of it,” the Attorney General told the Assembly.
Byron - on the other hand - explained to the Parliament that he is not aware of any meeting of the Commission to review the court’s decision. He suggested that if the Commission had met to review the judgment, he would have been aware of it.
“…it means…that the Hon. Member for Nevis Ten – who is a member of the Commission – and myself – who is also a member of the Commission – would have knowledge of any activities of the Commission. And I was surprised, I was flabbergasted to hear the Attorney General say in this Honourable House that the Commission is reviewing the judgment of July 31.
“He said that the Commission is reviewing the judgment and we are saying, I am saying … that there has been no notification to any Commission member of a notice of a meeting. I’m making very absolutely clear…that there has been no meeting, official meeting, no notice of a meeting to me in relation to the Boundaries Commission. …I just want to make it clear…that the Commission will have to meet as a body for that or anything to be done if we are going to review this boundaries judgment.”
After receiving word that there are plans afoot for the Commission to meet sometime next week, SKNVibes made contact with its Chair, Peter Jenkins – who said he would offer no comment on the matter.
The Commission - headed by Jenkins - consists of the Hon. Asim Martin the Hon. Marcella Liburd, the Hon. Vance Amory and Byron.
