(Former T&T Attorney General Kamla Persad-Bissessar was a member of the legal team that successfully challenged the government of St Kitts and Nevis on a constitutional matter relating to changing electoral boundaries.)PAM leader Lindsay Grant made the call Wednesday one day after a High Court judge removed himself from hearing arguments related to attempts by the opposition party to prevent the Electoral Commission from implementing new constituency boundaries as recommended in the report of the Boundaries Commission.
Grant said that while the injunction remains in force, the party is urging the Prime Minister to name the date for the polls.
“If elections are called in St. Kitts & Nevis they have to be held on the existing boundaries until the Court determines otherwise. We are ready and we want Douglas to call the elections.” he said in a formal statement.
Grant is confident that the authorities cannot make changes to the electoral boundaries until the courts make a final ruling on matter.
Prime Minister Douglas has accused PAM of trying to prevent the general elections by its attempts to stop the Commission's report on changes to the constituency boundaries being laid in Parliament.
A resolution approving the Draft Proclamation was passed by Parliament last Thursday and signed into law by the Governor General.
PAM responded by filing an application for a further injunction, which bars the Elections Supervisor and Electoral Commission from supervising any elections using any boundary changes until the substantive case is heard, or until further ordered.
Former Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar was a member of the legal team representing PAM.
Commenting on the matter from St Kitts she called it "a matter of high constitutional importance...for St. Kitts/Nevis," adding that she believes that the matter has impact for the whole Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago.
Persad-Bissessar, who is a deputy leader of the opposition United National congress in Trinidad and Tobago said, “The lesson for Trinidad and Tobago is that we must know our rights and must vehemently oppose the infringement of those rights whenever it occurs."
Persad-Bissessar said, "We have already witnessed in Trinidad and Tobago, the abuse of office by Ministers of Government. This judgment in St. Kitts is testimony that a Government can be challenged and made to account for its actions."
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