Antigua opposition goes to court over election result

The defeated Antigua Labour Party (ALP) has branded Thursday’s general election in Antigua and Barbuda as “tainted” and is challenging the results of the polling exercise. For his part, Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer has acknowledged that an investigation into polling day hiccups may be warranted.

The ALP won seven of the 17 seats, with the governing United Progressive Party (UPP) getting nine, a slim majority which it will bolster with the support of the one seat won in Barbuda by the Barbuda People's Party (BPM), which supports the UPP.

But ALP leader Lester Bird has served notice that he will challenge the results in at least three seats, meaning that if the courts rule in his favour the political situation could be turned upside down and the ALP could be back in government with Bird as prime minister.

Thursday's poll was tainted by a computer glitch that caused major delays to voting and also pushed back counting in several constituencies.

"This is a tragedy which caused immeasurable harm to our country and its democracy,” Bird charged. He cited the late opening of polls and reports of voter intimidation. "People should not be disenfranchised for that kind of incompetence and so we are planning to take the matter before the courts."

In Barbuda, ALP's Arthur Nibbs lost by one vote to Trevor Walker of the BPM. The other seat of concern for the ALP is St John’s Rural West where the prime minister defeated the ALP's Gail Christian. In that constituency, some polls didn't open until late afternoon.

"I don’t know what the results will be but we may very well ask for a by-election in Gail’s constituency particularly and Barbuda,” Bird said.

The former prime minister has rejected the Electoral Commission’s explanation that it was a problem printing polling day documents as being the reason for the delays.

“The Antigua Labour Party does not buy that excuse that because we cannot, and will not, accept that voters’ lists should have been, and, were being printed on the very night prior to the general election,” Bird said.

He said he is particularly concerned by statements attributed to the Chairman of the Election Commission that it was ready for the poll. One members of the commission has said he would resign and has suggested that all members should follow his lead.

The prime minister went on television to tell the nation, "We cannot...take the failings of the Electoral Commission, with the eyes of the world on us, in stride...There may be need for an investigation."