St. Vincent group takes gov't to court over spending on referendum

The High Court in St Vincent has set Monday Nov. 23 as the date to hear a motion filed by a group calling itself “The Vote No Committee” seeking to stop the government of Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves from using State resources to finance its campaign for the November 25 referendum for a new constitution.

The Committee, headed by Staff Nurse Margaret London, wants the court to declare that Gonsalves acted "ultra vires the Constitution" when he allocated public money to support his government's YES side in the campaign while denying the same facility for the NO side.

The group is also asking the court declare as that the government action is discriminatory and a violation of the right to freedom to hold opinions without interference and the right not to be discriminated against.

It is arguing that everyone must be treated the same regardless of political opinions and beliefs.

No date has been set for the hearing but the committee said it is prepared to go as far as the Privy Council for justice on the matter.

"In every country where this one-sided spending behaviour of government has been challenged the claimants have succeeded in the final courts," the Committee’s public relations officer, Frank da Silva has said.

The main opposition National Democratic Party (NDP) is urging citizens to vote against the measure. And it too has accused the government of using State resources to finance its YES campaign.

The referendum, which comes two days before the start of the Commonwealth heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port of Spain, is asking citizens to approve a new draft constitution that eliminates the Queen as the head of state and replaces the monarchy with a president elected by the national assembly.