Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
August 10, 2010 (CUOPM)
The opposition People’s Action Movement (PAM) Parliamentarian for St. Christopher 8, Hon. Eugene Hamilton deliberately misled the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly and the public and abused the privilege afforded him by his membership in Parliament when he said he produced of his own free will, a copy of his United States Green Card in response to the Election Petition filed by Mr. Cedric Liburd.
Mr. Hamilton, who was declared the winner in that Constituency following the January 25th 2010 General Election said he was served with an Election Petition on 5th February 2010.
He told the Speaker, other lawmakers and the country on Friday: “Following meetings and decisions of the (High) Court, I went a step further and filed a copy of my (United States) Green Card ““ front and back – in the Court, which was not an Order of the Court and served those copies on the Petitioner (Mr. Liburd) and the other Respondents and also on the Attorney General as Intervener in this matter.”
But one of Mr. Liburd’s Legal Counsel, Mr. Sylvester Anthony, disputes that statement.
Mr. Anthony said that at a Case Management Conference held on April 29, 2010, lawyers representing Mr. Liburd and the Honourable Attorney General, sought and obtained an Order from Resident Judge, His Lordship Mr. Justice Francis Belle, requiring Mr. Hamilton “˜to produce for inspection any passport, travel document, visa, or other instrument relating to citizenship, immigrant or residential status issued to him by any State other than St. Christopher and Nevis, on or before May 13, 2010.”
“Mr. Hamilton filed the evidence of his Permanent Residence status as required by the Order of the Court on May 11, 2010,” said Mr. Anthony, who went on to ask “Prior to the Order being made, did Mr. Hamilton ever state publicly that he was a Permanent Resident of the USA? Did he ever release to the media or the public, a copy of his Green Card?”
“It was not until he was ordered by the Court did he finally admit to having a Green Card and being a Permanent Resident of the USA,” said Mr. Anthony, adding that “any hint or suggestion by Mr. Hamilton that the production of his Green Card was of his own free will, is misleading and disingenuous.”
“It is safe to say, that if this action had not been brought by Mr. Liburd, Mr. Hamilton’s Permanent Residence status in the USA would have remained a well kept secret from the constituents of St. Christopher 8 and the people of the Federation,” said Mr. Anthony.
“As to his claim that no one visited his lawyer’s office to inspect the Green Card, that too is a red herring. There was no need to physically inspect the Green Card since copies were attached to his affidavit which was served on all parties,” Mr. Anthony added.
He further stated that it was also mischievous of Mr. Hamilton to continue, as a party to the litigation, to publicly comment on the case on the pretext that the matter is concluded.
“Once again that position demonstrates Mr. Hamilton’s lack of appreciation for truth telling. Mr. Hamilton is well aware that final submissions are yet to be filed and served by the parties, and that the Trial Judge is yet to rule. How then can he claim that the matter has been concluded and he is free to make public comments?” asked Mr. Anthony.