(BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS) – An application was filed by members of the Opposition on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 in the High Court in St. Kitts seeking yet another injunction. The case is scheduled to be heard today Friday, April 05, 2013 at 2: 00 p.m.
The application for the injunction is to restrict the Speaker of the House and Parliament from scheduling any business of the National Assembly, including the Budget, before the Motion of No Confidence is debated.
Six parliamentarians wrote to the Governor General Sir Edmund Lawrence declaring that they had lost confidence in the Prime Minister and his government. Those six parliamentarians, now the claimants seeking the injunction are: Leader of the Opposition Mark Brantley, Leader of Peoples Action Movement (PAM) Shawn Richards, Deputy Leader of PAM Eugene Hamilton, Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) leader Vance Amory and back benchers for the Government, former Deputy Prime Minister Sam Condor, and former Senior Minister Hon. Timothy Harris.
The Opposition is seeking to prevent the tabling of the No Confidence Motion which has been filed since December 11, 2012. The injunction was filed under Section 52 (6) of the Constitution and it states that if a vote of no confidence is debated and successfully passed the Prime Minister shall resign within three days or dissolve parliament.
The injunction is being sought against the Speaker Curtis Martin, Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Earl Asim Martin, the Leader of Government Business Patrice Nisbett of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Minister Marcella Liburd, Minister Glen Phillip, Senator Richard Skerritt, Senator Nigel Carty and Senator Jason Hamilton who was appointed Attorney General.
It is suspected that the Prime Minister may be contemplating boundary changes not too long after the Budget Session in Parliament and therefore the move to obtain an injunction may be geared at thwarting that so as to prevent boundary changes and any other legislative matter from gaining priority over the Motion of No Confidence.