Hon. Mark Brantley To Be Heard In Court
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
November 27, 2009 (CUOPM)
Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Mark Brantley, is to take the stand when the judicial review in the new Constituency Boundary Commission case begins in the High Court next week.
Lawyers for the Government’s Legal Team said they will also cross-examine the other claimant, Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher 5 (Sandy Point/Fig Tree), Hon. Shawn Richards and other persons who file affidavits.
“Hon. Mark Brantley, the Leader of the Opposition, is one of the claimants. He has obviously hitched his tent to the PAM cavalcade and now the claim that is there is as much his claim as is the claim of the Hon. Shawn Richards,” said attorney Mr. Sylvester Anthony.
“I think we will be relishing the opportunity to cross examine him, to cross examine Sen. the Hon. Michael Perkins, who filed an affidavit in support of the application and the Hon. Vance Amory, who also filed an affidavit in the application,” said Anthony, who added: “It would be interesting to wait and see on Monday whether those persons, especially Senator Perkins and Hon. Vance Amory actually do file affidavits in support of the Judicial Review.”
The Government Legal Team has until Monday to indicate to the Court which persons they intend to cross examine.
Attorney Dr. Henry Browne said it will not be a “fishing expedition,” but the matter is “of an extremely serious nature, which is affecting the entire country, not to any fault of our own on this side, but sometimes the legal processes take time and one has to respect the doctrine of the separation of powers if our democracy is to survive.”
“We for our part on the Government side, do say that we are well pleased with the position we are at now. The sting in the tail for the Judicial Review was the Injunction which they sought. That injunction was not granted and no amount of sophistry by the other side would change that hard fact of life,” said Dr. Browne.