BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JANUARY 7TH 2015 (CUOPM) – Mr. Sylvester Anthony, the Legal Counsel for the Speaker of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly says the attempt by Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris to have two cases on the same matter in the High Court at the same time “is an abuse of the process.”
“They (lawyers for Harris) claim his [matter] is the same as that which was brought by the Leader of the Opposition and our position is that that is an abuse of the process. You can’t have two cases in the court on the same thing,” Mr. Anthony, the lawyer for the Speaker the Hon. Curtis Marin told WINNFM.
Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Brantley filed a Motion of No Confidence in December of 2012. He then went to court early 2013 to get a ruling that the matter be placed on the Order Paper, although the St. Kitts and Nevis Constitution does not give a timeframe for a Motion of No Confidence to be heard.
Then the Hon. Shawn Richards also took the matter to Court in July 2013.
Last September, Dr. Harris, who was sacked from the Cabinet and who later crossed the floor to join the Opposition filed a third Motion.
According to WINNFM, in November Harris’ his lawyers filed an action in the court seeking among other things, an Order directing the Speaker to schedule his Motion of No Confidence.
The High Court however, did not agree with his lawyers arguments on Monday, to allow his matter to be heard at the same time as the Brantley Motion matter, which is slated for January 19th.
The Hearing date for Dr. Harris’ Motion matter has been set instead for March 6th.