BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, July 23, 2010 (PAM Secretariat Press Release) - Henry Stogumber Browne attempted to withdraw false allegations in petition case brought against People’s Action Movement MP Eugene Hamilton today at the High Court in Basseterre.
Cedric Liburd’s petition contended that MP Hamilton was a US Citizen and holder of a US passport number BP001812. Browne, Counsel for former Labour MP Cedric Liburd was forced to concede that these allegations were totally false. Counsel Browne stated: “It must be made pellucid and clear that we do not contend that [Hamilton] is a dual citizen. We say now that any such averment in the Petition must fail.”
Counsel Terence Byron for the Honourable Eugene Hamilton, the Deputy Political Leader of the People’s Action Movement, objected to Browne’s attempt to amend and withdraw sections of the Petition.
This, he stated, is not authorized by law. Moreover, it was wrong and an abuse of the process of the court for the Petitioner Cedric Liburd to lead the court to believe that he was pursuing the issue of dual citizenship and possession of a US passport since February. Counsel Byron articulated: “How can [Liburd] come to Court just this morning and inform us that he is no longer contending that my client has a US passport? That is an abuse of process. You cannot just make false allegations and then withdraw them just like that.”
Judge Hariprashad-Charles accepted Lawyer Byron’s objection and said that this will go towards costs for Mr. Hamilton.
