“Cedric Liburd and the Labour Party should be made to foot the bill for this frivolous challenge rather than the taxpayers of this country,” Says Hon. Hon. Shawn. K. Richards”
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, July 26, 2010 (PAM Secretariat) - St.Kitts-Nevis Senior Opposition MP the Hon. Shawn K. Richards is expressing concern and outrage over the Attorney General’s intervention in the Election Petition case brought by former Labour MP Cedric Liburd against the Hon. Eugene Hamilton.
The People’s Action Movement Deputy Political leader said “I am deeply concerned and frankly outraged at this situation where our Attorney General's office has intervened on behalf of Cedric Liburd in this petition case brought against the Hon. Eugene Hamilton.” Richards lamented “Why would the government intervene in what is obviously a case with little or no merit on behalf of Mr. Liburd and burden our taxpayers with a hefty legal bill from Dr. Barnett? This again shows the gross disregard the government has for the taxpayers and the taxpayers' money in this country. How can the government justify intervening in this matter on behalf of the defeated Labour candidate Mr. Liburd?"
The Petition hearing held on Friday July 23rd clearly demonstrated that Mr. Hamilton is not a US citizen and that his Green Card status does not disqualify him from being nominated as a Candidate and elected to Parliament.
“This is totally unacceptable and I am of the firm view that Mr. Liburd and the Labour Party should be made to foot their own bill for this case which can only be described as political harassment of Mr. Hamilton. Taxpayers of this country should not be burdened with the legal costs associated with the political witch-hunt of the Labour party,” said the Parliamentary Representative for Constituency #5.
The office of the Attorney General took over the handling of the Petition when it intervened “in the public interest”. Dr. Lloyd Barnett of Jamaica was brought to St. Kitts to argue on behalf of the Attorney General. The AG’s office is fully funded by the taxpayers of St. Kitts and Nevis.
