Injunction against gov’t upheld until the full case is heard

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AN injunction filed against the Government regarding the proposed constituency boundary changes for the upcoming general elections was upheld earlier today (July 8) at the Basseterre High Court of Justice. 

The injunction was filed by the lone Parliamentary Representative of the People’s Action Movement (PAM) Hon. Shawn Richards on July 1, as his party argued that making modifications to constituency boundaries at a time considered close to the upcoming elections is “not fair”. 

The injunction was granted last Thursday (July 2), and the following day the Attorney General, Hon. Dennis Merchant, challenged the injunction and argued for it to be removed. A hearing was subsequently held on Monday (July 6) to give the Attorney General and the Constituency Boundaries Commission an opportunity to argue their case, but the decision from that hearing was deferred until this morning.

During the hearing today, His Lordship Justice Francis Belle explained that, upon assessing all the submissions from both sides, the injunction was justified and will remain until the matter is dealt with properly. 

Representing the Office of the Attorney General and the Boundaries Commission were Dr. Henry Browne and Arundranauth Gosai in the absence of Legal Counsel Anthony Astaphan SC. A sitting member of the Commission, Hon. Cedric Liburd, was also present at the hearing. 

PAM was represented by the Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) Leader, Mia Mottley, and Attorney-at-Law Constance Mitcham as the leaders of the seven-member team. PAM party leader Lindsay Grant and Hon. Shawn Richards were also present at the hearing.

Due to the late submission of an affidavit by the Office of the Attorney General, Mottley, as Legal Counsel for PAM, requested for the court session to be adjourned in order for her side to have ample time to review and the presented affidavit.

The presiding Justice Belle adjourned Court, indicating that it will resume at 2:00 this afternoon and may continue this Friday (Jul. 8) to give a fair trial to both parties.