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Posted: Tuesday 10 September, 2013 at 12:48 AM

Parliament debates Draft Proclamation to realign boundaries

Prime Minister of St. Kitts-Nevis the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas
By: Loshaun Dixon, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Federal House of Assembly yesterday (Sept 9) made a shocked move to lay before the House of Assembly a Draft Proclamation to realign the constituency boundaries in St. Kitts and Nevis.

     

    Though not being announced as an item for debate, the Proclamation was introduced to the House last evening by Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas.

    Dr. Douglas claimed that in 2009 when a similar effort was made, they were ‘shot’ as it was believed that it was too close to an election to make such a move. He added that this time was ideal for such a move as elections are not due until 2015.

    He commended the Members of the Commission for their work in producing the report which led to the Draft Proclamation.

     “They deliberated for several weeks and months; over a year of deliberations. I want to commend the political parties... those on the government side and those on the opposition side for your full intense participation in your deliberations that produce the report that has now been produce to a Draft Proclamation and sent to this Parliament to accompany the Resolution that is before us.”

    The Prime Minister added that the important nature of the Resolution should be given the opportunity to be read into the records of the House and opened the floor for debate on the matter so that amendments could have been suggested.

    “Because of the historic and important nature of this Resolution, I would ask you Mr. Speaker to give me the permission to read it into the records of this House so that they can be no mistake whatsoever at what the Resolution is before us.

    “I now therefore would like to give the opportunity to my colleagues to debate the Draft Proclamation which is the essence of the realignment of the boundaries in St. Christopher and Nevis.”

    Dr. Douglas disclosed that the Boundaries Commission submitted the report to the Governor General on September 5, 2013.

    The Draft Proclamation was then announced and debated with a lengthy presentation by Commission member Hon. Marcela Liburd, who outlined some of the demographics that the new boundaries will present.

    At the end of the debate, Prime Minister Douglas stated that the Opposition’s silence meant that they were in agreement with the Draft Proclamation, thus no amendments would be made. The Opposition was however absent from the sitting.

    Earlier in yesterday, the High Court issued an injunction which restrains the Governor General from signing any proclamation to effect any boundary changes until a further order from the Court.
    The Commission was made up of two members from the Government Benches, the Hon. Dr. Earl Asim Martin and the Hon. Marcella Liburd; two from the Opposition Benches, the Hon. Vance Amory and the Hon. Vincent Byron Jr.; and headed by Peter Jenkins.

    Section 50 of the Constitution of St. Christopher and Nevis, which falls under the heading Review of Constituency Boundaries, outlines the process by which changes are to be made to the boundaries, if any.

    According to that Section, the Constituency Boundaries Commission – having the understanding of that Section (50) - shall review the number of constituencies of the Federation and shall submit its report for or against boundary changes to the Governor General.

    The Constitution states that after the Commission would have completed its report and is submitted to the Governor General, his draft proclamation is to be laid before the Parliament “for its approval”. The Proclamation would be for “giving effect, whether with or without modifications, to the recommendations contained in the report, and that draft proclamation may make provisions for any matters that appear to the Prime Minister to be incidental to or consequential upon the other provisions of the draft”.

    Section 50(4) states that if there are modifications to the Commission’s recommendations, “the Prime Minister shall lay before the Assembly together with the draft of a statement for the reason of the modifications”.

    The legislative body is required to give its stamp of approval on the Draft Proclamation. However, if for some reason it rejects it or if the Draft Proclamation is withdrawn “by leave of the Assembly”, the Prime Minister would be required to present it to the Parliament again, after amendments would have been made.

    From the Draft Proclamation laid before the National Assembly under Section 50(3) and (5), the Governor General would prepare a Proclamation which “shall come into force upon the next dissolution of Parliament after it is made”. 

    However, this step does not take place until the Draft Proclamation is approved by the National Assembly “by way of resolution”.

     
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