PRESS RELEASE — Sharing an update regarding my court case against the Speaker and the Attorney General which was heard this morning.
As you would know, my attorney’s made an urgent application for an interim injunction to restrain the Speaker of the House from excluding myself, as Leader of the Opposition and a member of the House, from sitting in the House when it next convenes.
When the matter came on for hearing today, the judge’s attention was drawn to the fact that Mr. Ernest Hilaire had filed an affidavit in Court this morning indicating that the Government members intended to pass a motion at the next sitting of the House to lift the suspension, which I contended as unlawful. On that basis, the parties negotiated the terms of an undertaking that was given by the Speaker to the Court, which has the same injunctive effect as if an order had been made by the court in those terms. The undertaking given by the Speaker was as follows:
(1) to invite Claimant to attend the next sitting of the House, whenever that should occur;
(2) not to exclude or cause to be excluded the Claimant from entering the House or the precincts of the House;
(3) to allow the Claimant to take his seat in the House, but not participate in proceedings, pending the vote on the motion to lift the suspension of the Claimant;
(4) the motion to lift the suspension of the Claimant shall be the first matter to be dealt with by the House at the next sitting of the House, whenever that should occur; and
(5) upon the motion being carried the Claimant will be at liberty to carry on his duties in service of the House.
I will, therefore, be attending the next, and any subsequent, sittings of the House. My substantive claim for a declaration that my suspension and detention were unconstitutional and unlawful, and for damages, has been scheduled for case management and trial later this year.
Chastanet is not a political ideologue, however, he is motivated by self-interest. He has proven time and again to be a pathological liar. How can anyone believe a press release fraught with ambiguities? Chastanet has deemed his suspension unconstitutional and unlawful based on whose interpretations?
In a true democracy, no one is above the law. We need the law to act as a sledgehammer, not a scalpel. However, we must not demonize or seek to dominate those with whom we disagree.
@Ras Biko:- who in the Hose and which politician is not motivated by self interest, especially in the SLP? I agree in a true Democracy, no one is above the Law, including that Speaker and that is why, you have hastily sought at the Court before hand, and before it makes the Speaker look even more stupid than he is, to reverse the decision of the House to shut up the Leader of the Opposition, to carry out his Legal Duties and to function as an equal member of Parliament.
Has it not occurred to you M.P.’s that you are not dealing with a fool as you so often label him to be? and it has cost the Government, time and time again, trying to prove a point? the thing that you are dragging is the failure to come to grips with the decision to confront the Speaker with the ultimate, that is to tender his resignation because he is not fitted for this type of work. Let me suggest for the good of St. Lucia, to find the services of one, preferably a lady qualified in the Legal profession and well respected for this kind of work.
Enough is enough for it does not seem that unless something is not done, the ugliness will persist.