BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, FEBRUARY 18TH 2014 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas says the substantive matter of the Motion of No Confidence brought by the opposition is still subjudice.
“The case remains in Court, and we respectfully await the Court’s final ruling,” said Prime Minister Douglas during his weekly radio programme “Ask the Prime Minister.”
In what was his first public statement since the ruling of the High Court, Prime Minister Douglas noted that the opposition took the matter of the Motion of No Confidence to court.
“They then attempted to withdraw their case. The Speaker’s reaction was that since the Opposition had already taken the matter to Court, the Court should issue a ruling on the Opposition’s claims,” said Dr. Douglas who noted that last Wednesday, the Court dismissed the Opposition’s application to withdraw their case, and the Court made an order for the case to continue.
“You may remember, listeners, that the Opposition had asserted in their suit that Members of my Cabinet and I had, in some way, prevented the Speaker from bringing the Motion to a debate. The Court has stated that there is no evidence that either Members of Cabinet or I prevented the Speaker from bringing the Motion to the floor,” said Prime Minister Douglas.
He noted further that the High Court has ordered the Honourable Vance Amory, the Honourable Mark Brantley, The Honourable Eugene Hamilton, The Honourable Shawn Richards, The Honourable Timothy Harris and The Honourable Sam Condor to pay costs.
“And the Opposition has been ordered to pay costs to The Honourable Earl Asim Martin, The Honourable Marcella Liburd, The Honourable Glen Phillip, The Honourable Attorney General Jason Hamilton, The Honourable Ricky Skerritt, the Honourable Nigel Carty and myself,” said Prime Minister Douglas.