| Nevis Election Petition Trial Underway |
| By L.K. Hewlett |
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Parties to the case leave the courthouse. |
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Jan. 16 -- Stakeholders and observers head to the courts today for the start of the election petition trial which could bring about a shift in power in the Nevis Island Assembly.
CCM's Nevis #2 representative Hon. Mark Brantley filed a petition challenging the outcome of the July 11, 2011 Island Election. Brantley lost to NRP's Hon. Hensley Daniel by 14 votes when the NRP was returned to power by a 3-2 win.
The CCM Deputy Leader is challenging the results for the St. John's District citing "electoral irregularities" where about 200 voters' names were reportedly removed from the voters' list without notice on the eve of the election.
Respondents to the petition are Minister of Culture Hon. Hensley Daniel represented by Dr. Henry Browne; Premier Hon. Joseph Parry represented by Oral Martin; Electoral officials Bernadette Lawrence and Kelvin Daley, and Election Supervisor Leroy Benjamin being represented by Arudranauth Gossai, Sylvester Anthony and Anthony Astaphan; the Electoral Commission - Hesketh Benjamin, Myrna Walwyn and William Dore- being represented by Dennis Merchant; and Attorney General Patrice Nisbett who is represented by Solicitor General John Tyne.
Justice Lionel Jones, Senior Counsel from Trinidad, has been assigned to preside over the trial. |
