BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – SUSPENSE continues to build surrounding an ongoing legal battle over the realignment of St. Kitts’ constituency boundaries, as representatives and supporters of both sides anxiously await the verdict of two court hearings in the matter this morning (Aug. 7).
The legal matter has seen two separate judges thus far, with Her Ladyship Justice Rita Joseph-Olivetti presiding over the court after His Lordship Justice Francis Belle withdrew himself from the case at the request of the Government’s legal counsel. Justice Joseph-Olivetti started the hearings on July 27 and spent five days attempting to bring a timely resolution to the issue.
Prior to her departure last Saturday (Aug. 1), Justice Joseph-Olivetti had heard arguments from both sides but suspended her ruling on two main matters of the case.
Of the matters that Joseph-Olivetti presided over were Contempt of Court charges the People’s Action Movement (PAM) brought against the Attorney-General (AG), Hon. Dr. Dennis Merchant, and a member of the Constituency Boundaries Commission (CBC), Hon. Cedric Liburd.
It was argued by PAM that the two members of government assisted in the laying a CBC report in Parliament that was at that time prohibited from use by a standing Court Order.
The case against Liburd was subsequently withdrawn when evidence brought against him was not admitted to the court by Justice Joseph-Olivetti. The PAM lawyers, however, continued to call for the AG to be censured and reprimanded for his advice, or failure to advise the Parliament on the implications of the first injunction.
A second court hearing was also heard by Joseph-Olivetti while she was in St. Kitts, namely an application by the AG and the CBC’s legal counsel to strike out a second injunction filed by PAM aimed at barring the Electoral Commission and the Supervisor of Elections from holding a general elections at that time under the proposed boundary changes in the CBC report.
Justice Joseph-Olivetti’s rulings in both the Contempt of Court case against the AG and the second injunction are scheduled to be announced this morning at 10:00 at the Basseterre High Court.
