Basseterre, St.Kitts (September 14th 2010):-The OECS Court of Appeal yesterday brought an end to the now famous and landmark Boundaries Case.
On July 2nd 2009 the Deputy Political Leader of the People’s Action Movement the Hon. Shawn K. Richards filed an injunction against the government to prevent Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas led labor administration’s attempt to institute boundary changes within days of the planned announcement of the General Elections.
“The plan to call parliament on July 3rd, table the constituency boundaries report, present a draft resolution, have a full debate and pass resolution all on the same day was to end with the proroguing of Parliament. Parliament was to have its final meeting and close on Friday 3rd, so that new boundaries would take effect immediately without the people knowing anything about it,” said the Consituency #8 Parliamentary Representative Hon. Eugene Hamilton.
Despite the injunction Prime Minister Douglas proceeded to convene parliament to table the proclamation to change the boundaries. The actions of the Prime Minister resulted in the court holding the government along with the Attorney General Dr. Merchant in Contempt of Court.
“The PAM is victorious,” says People’s Action Movement MP Hon. Eugene Hamilton.
“The People’s Action Movement is victorious because it was successful in thwarting labor’s clandestine and sinister attempt to institute boundary changes at the very final 11th hour. So successful was PAM that to date the government has been unable to table and institute any kind of boundary changes which was a severe blow to labor and there sinister plans,” the People’s Action Movements Deputy Political Leader said.
“The Contempt of Court ruling against the gov’t and the then Attorney General Dr. Dennis Merchant was secondary to the main issue for the People’s Action Movement and the people of the country and that is Labour’s unethical, undemocratic, unscrupulous, dictatorialistic attempt to institute boundaries at the very last minute,” Hamilton commented.
The government lawyers over the past few months have withdrawn at least 4 of the 5 appeals made regarding the injunction case. The Opposition Peoples Action Movement lawyers sought and were awarded costs in the matters.
