BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Motion of No Confidence will not be tabled at the time anticipated by some political pundits and concerned citizens in the twin-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
This disclosure was made by Minister of Information Senator Nigel Carty, who called in to WINN FM’s Voices programme yesterday (Apr. 23) and stated that the Motion could not be brought to the Federal Parliament for debate because the matter is still before the Court.
He said that the rules of Parliament clearly states under “Section 23:1 that when a matter is sub judice or under considerations of the Court…that matter should not be determined or has any question about it in the Parliament. So, we are advised that that may not be the best thing to go forward with”.
In strengthening his assertion, Carty cited two instances when Motions of No Confidence were brought against the People’s Action Movement (PAM) and how they were dealt with by Parliament.
“…in relation to the Motion of No Confidence which was brought by the Labour Party back in 1981 and in 1982, that was a matter that was determined to be sub judice as well after the matter had been put before the Court; and so the matter has not been heard in the House until after a very long time.”
When asked by Voices’ moderator if the government views the tabling of the Motion of No Confidence as off limit at this time, Senator Carty said, “As far as we are concerned, as far as we have been advised, it is not possible within the scope of the rules of the House for it to be brought at this time.”
The Motion of No Confidence was filed by Leader of the Opposition the Hon. Mark Brantley on December 11, last.
Brantley and the three other elected Members of the Opposition, the Hons. Shawn Richards and Eugene Hamilton of the PAM and Premier Vance Amory of the Concerned Citizens Movement, as well as Government Backbenchers Hons. Sam Condor and Dr. Timothy Harris, have argued that their constitutional rights were violated by the government refusing to bring the Motion before the Parliament.
Consequently, the six elected Members had filed an application for injunctive relief to debar the Federal Parliament from furthering its legislative agenda before the No Confidence Motion is tabled.
The application was however withdrawn by the claimants’ counsel, Douglas Mendes S.C, and His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas had decided that the Court would hear the application filed by the respondents to strike out the case and arguments whether the Court has the authority to hear such a matter.
The hearing is scheduled for July 11 and 12, 2013 and Senator Carty and Speaker of the House Hon. Curtis Martin are among the 10 respondents.
According to Sylvester Anthony, a member of the respondents’ team, all parties had agreed that whatever the Court decides, the matter would likely go to the Court of Appeal and eventually to the Privy Council.
