Dirty Politics Pops Up In St. Kitts – Nevis
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
August 30, 2009
Lindsay F. P. Grant was absent from yet another Public Meeting of the St. Kitts People’s Action Movement on Sunday night with tensions said to be growing within the fumbling Party over Grant’s inability to lead from the front.
In 1995 the former PAM administration was rejected by St. Kitts realizing a 7 to 1 Seat defeat to the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party with even the Prime Minister (Simmonds) losing his Parliamentary Seat. The two Nevis Political Parties (CCM and NRP) shared the remaining 3 Seats (2 to 1 respectively). Simmonds vied for the post once more in 2000 but was defeated worse, losing his only remaining Member of Parliament to the Labour Party, which sealed an 8 to 0 majority. Again, the two Nevis Parties shared the remaining 3 Seats of the 11 total.
In 2000, a rejected Simmonds handed over the Planter-Class Conservative Party to American Harvard Graduate Lindsay F. P. Grant at a Special Delegates Convention at an unconventional time: October. Grant faced his first Election 4 years later in 2004. He failed to win the confidence of the people and lost his vie for Political Office to Labour’s long-standing Old Road native, Rupert Emanuel Herbert.
Grant, born in West Farm, took to the Courts to challenge his victor in an attempt to get the Court to overturn the result. Grant lost again and his other two colleague challengers Eugene Hamilton versus Cedric Roy Liburd and Glenroy Blanchette versus Dr. Earl Asim Martin too lost. None of the Labour Seats were overturned by the Court while PAM still owes the Court more than EC$300,000 (more than US$100,000) in legal fees.
For the past 9 years Grant has not been able to win the confidence of the people to represent them in Parliament. He has recently tried the Court system again, this time asking the Court to overturn a Proclamation by the Parliament and Governor-General. The irony of the challenge being brought by Grant in this instance is the fact that he does NOT want the geographical area where he was born to be a part of the Constituency in which he says he will be contesting. His telling that to the Court while standing in the witness box 10 days ago created much dissension within his Party.
Grant’s woes appear not to be with any end in sight as he has recently been challenged by Prime Minister Douglas to present a genuine Certificate of Loss of Nationality (CLN); one that has been stamped by the US Department of State and his canceled US passport. At a recent press conference, Grant presented an incomplete CLN but claimed that it was complete.
Notwithstanding PAM’s attempt to stall the elections from being held, the latest that Parliament can be dissolved is December 15, 2009 (Parliament was opened on December 16, 2004). General Elections must be held within 90 days from the time Parliament is dissolved (Ref: Section 48, Constitution of St. Kitts & Nevis). It is very possible that General Elections may not be held until some time after December 15, 2009.