BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – HON. Dwyer Astaphan, Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Number Two, expressed his displeasure that he was not consulted in the latest round of consultation for the newest report of the Constituency Boundaries Commission (CBC).
“I am disappointed that when the CBC was sending out letters they did not send one to the Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Two. Just like any other Parliamentarian, I was elected to be in here and I represent a constituency.
“I wonder if it’s part of a pattern, because it’s not the only thing I’ve been left out of. If there is a pattern and a motive behind it, then those who have designed the pattern must redirect themselves from the individual and focus on the constituency he represents; because the insult is not to me, it’s to the people of the constituency,” Astaphan said.
Astaphan’s comments come at a time when the CBC plans to meet again to review electoral boundaries in the Federation.
In June of this year, it produced a report outlining several changes to the constituency limits. Parliament adopted the report and passed it to Governor-General His Excellency Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, who signed a proclamation legalising the new boundaries.
Labelling the report “unconstitutional”, opposition party the People’s Action Movement (PAM) filed a legal challenge against it. After a contentious 13-week trial, His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas deemed the proclamation “null and void”, stating that the CBC’s feeder committee, the Boundaries Technical Committee, was unconstitutional and of no legal effect.
The CBC’s renewed mandate was revealed in an October 26 letter addressed to parliamentary representatives for PAM and the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP). CBC Chairman Anthony Johnson noted the Commission’s intention to resume meeting and invited the representatives to make suggestions concerning potential boundary changes by noon on November 2.
Astaphan reasoned that since Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Five Hon. Shawn Richards had been given a letter, other Parliamentarians should have been given a chance to make their own recommendations.
“I was glad that the member from Number Five received a letter because he can speak on behalf of his constituents and give a perspective, as can anyone else in this country,” he explained. “But I would have thought that Parliamentary Representatives, being what they are, would be useful individuals to go in and give their perspective on these matters,” he added.
SKNVibes contacted Johnson, who declined to comment on the possibility of the Commission consulting with Constituency Representatives before the final report is produced.
