BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, April 18, 2020 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – The St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly convened on Friday, April 17, 2020, where a Resolution was passed to extend the State of Emergency for six months or less in light of the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health of the population.
However, the seat of the Leader of the Opposition remained vacuous, since the former Leader of the Opposition, Former Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher Six, Dr. Denzil Douglas, was found ineligible to represent his constituents after the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in the Court of Appeal found him in contravention of the Constitution for holding a diplomatic passport of the Commonwealth of Dominica. The ruling of the court took effect on March 12, 2020.
In the appeal case between the Attorney General of St. Kitts and Nevis and Dr. Denzil Douglas, the learned judges concluded that “…Dr. Douglas, by his application for, receipt and use of a Dominican diplomatic passport, placed him in clear breach of section 28(1)(a) of the Constitution. As a matter of law, the consequence in the terms of section 33(3)(c) follows. That consequence is that, Dr. Douglas is required to vacate his seat in the National Assembly in Saint Christopher and Nevis.”
Section 58 of the Constitution of St. Christopher and Nevis states that there shall be a Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly who shall be appointed by the Governor General.
In a letter dated March 16, 2020, His Excellency the Governor General Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton wrote to the three remaining Elected Representatives of the Opposition; the Hon. Marcella Liburd, the Hon. Patrice Nisbett and the Hon. Konris Maynard; asking them that pursuant to the Court’s judgment on March 12 to disqualify Dr. Douglas from the National Assembly and in accordance with the provisions of Section 58 of the Constitution, to inform him in writing “of the Member of Opposition commanding the support of one (1) other Representative so that I can appoint a Leader of the Opposition.”
Almost an entire month later on April 15 – just two days before the Emergency Sitting of the National Assembly – the three Elected Representatives on the Opposition benches penned a response to the Governor General in which they stated that they will await “the election of a representative for Constituency No.6 before giving support to any member to be appointed as Leader of the Opposition.”
Opposition Mps, Hon. Marcella Liburd, Hon. Konris Maynard, and Hon. Patrice Nisbett, who showed up for Parliament in disarray to debate the Resolution like sheep without a shepherd, did not support the Resolution but rather used the time allotted for their contributions on the matter to engage in the usual petty partisan politics, and in doing so showing little to no regard for the overall health and safety of all citizens and residents during a time when the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, like the rest of the world, is combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Were they instructed to vote against the Resolution by their disgraced leader?
