Deputy Pam Leader – Shawn Richards
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
People’s Action Movement (PAM)
November 6th 2009
The Government of St Kitts and Nevis continues to find their legal going within the courts very tough as yet another decision has been handed down ruling against the Douglas led administration.
In another ruling of the court, Justice Francis Belle ruled that the Government should pay costs for the dual citizenship case. The government had passed legislation which on its face sought to prevent the Peoples Action Movement Leader, Lindsay Grant and his deputy the Hon Shawn Richards from being nominated on nomination day.
Today the Judge gave judgment for the claimants as the government failed to file a defense to the claim that the law is unconstitutional. Grant and Richards had sought to challenge their eligibility to run in the upcoming elections.
However, some months prior to this Astaphan in an interview with Lesroy Williams had said that Richards and Gant did not have ‘a snow ball’ chance in hell of winning. He however informed the court last week that after careful examination he and his team were withdrawing the case against the two honorable men because the law was bad.
This is yet another move by the troubled St Kitts and Nevis Denzil Douglas labour party which has lost some seven cases within recent times against the PAM. Grant in commenting on the judgment said that once again justice has prevailed stating that he will continue to demonstrate his confidence within the court.
He expressed serious concerns over what he said has been the Government’s blatant disregard for its resources noting that some 750,000.00 XCD odd has been expended on court cases that the Government knew that it never had an opportunity of winning. “This is unacceptable as while we are very happy to have won yet another case its disheartening to see how the federation’s financial resources are being abused over cases that the Government knew should have never gone to court, and were just clearly bad and biased†Grant said.
He stressed that as the Federation continues to wage a war with the failed leadership of Dr Denzil Douglas he and his party will continue to remain committed and devoted to ensuring that the ground work is laid for the removing of the St Kitts Labour party at the upcoming elections.
The judgment received by Grant and Richards is EC $3500.00 which represents a quarter of the total cost for fees. According to a senior legal source the court can only grant a total of 25% of the total which the cost awarded.