BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – POPULAR social commentator Washington ‘Washie’ Archibald has offered his thoughts and comments on the boundary-change-issue which has drawn much local and regional debate since its emergence.
In July of this year, a report compiled by the Constituency Boundaries Commission (CBC), outlining proposed boundary changes was tabled in Parliament and a proclamation passed naming the proposed constituency boundaries lawful. These, however, were only to take effect after the dissolution of the Parliament, which must take place on or before December 16, 2009.
The People’s Action Movement (PAM) challenged the process by which the boundaries were realigned as being unconstitutional. The Basseterre High Court of Justice ruled that the proclamation was null and void.
Speaking exclusively with SKNVibes, Archibald opined that it is apparent that the Prime Minister erred on the boundary issue and, as such, has successfully plunged the country into a state of embarrassment amongst its regional counterparts. He suggested that the Prime Minister do what is honourable and make haste in calling the elections, especially in light of the elapsed five-year period since the last election was held.
“It seems to me as if Dr. Douglas has made a big blunder in the boundary issue. The court found that he did it wrong. The court found that how he was trying to do it was unconstitutional and therefore, like a good statesman, you would expect him, if he has statesmanship in him, to just shelve the matter seeing that the time has come for the elections to be called…What Douglas should do as a good statesman is to call the elections and stop behaving like a hoodlum…
“…They lost the case because they went about the change of the boundaries by an unconstitutional route. Therefore, they should accept the correction of the court and forget the whole thing this time. Give up the fight because you tried a thing; it didn’t work. The election date comes upon you, call the elections and forget about changing the boundaries for now. After the elections the matter of the change of boundaries can also be dealt with in a proper civilised manner. I want to stress the word civilised.”
Subsequent to the ruling of the Basseterre High Court, suggestions were made indicating that the CBC would be returning to the drawing board with the hopes of drafting a new report from which a new proclamation may be drafted. Archibald reiterated that the next move, at this stage, ought not to be a return to the drawing board but rather to have the elections called.
The outspoken educator is of the firm belief that Douglas’ actions, specifically the manner in which he sought to realign the constituency boundaries, are indicative of his need to hold on to the reigns of power.
“What we should be going back to the drawing board for now in these circumstances is to rectify the system for the people, and that is to call an election…Otherwise, if you are going to go on and on, an election will hardly be called. When will he call the elections? The 16th December is the official dissolution of the Parliament. After that, there is no government because there will not be any lawmaking after the 16th. You see the confusion the man has put us into? The government would only exist in case of emergencies because the Cabinet would still be intact, just in case of emergencies.
“Now there are all kinds of scenarios we could think of. Would the government inspire an emergency, would they incite an emergency so that they can go in and do whatever they want, pass a law in Cabinet, run the country in Cabinet? Because, as far as normal powers are concerned, the government does not have any further power over the country after the 16th December. Do you see the confusion? No other country in the Commonwealth ever had that problem, and it takes the smallest country in the Commonwealth to come up with that ‘stupidness’ because the ruler is hell-bent on staying in power at any cost and so he will maneuver in order for things to move in his favour.”
