bahamiangoddess
01-25-08, - 12:32 PM
25th January
PLP To Make Decision On Election Court Cases
By Macushla N. Pinder
In the wake of the recent Pinewood decision, the final two defeated PLP candidates pursuing their cases before the Election Court will make a determination along with the Progressive Liberal Party whether to proceed with their matters before the court, according to party leader, Perry Christie.
On Monday, PLP Senator Allyson Maynard Gibson lost her bid to have the court determine that she – and not the FNM’s Byran Woodside – is the duly elected member of parliament for Pinewood.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Mr. Christie was asked whether the party will pursue the Marco City and Blue Hills cases in light of the disappointing outcome in the Pinewood matter.
"The persons concerned will be discussing the matter with their attorneys and with the leadership of the party with a view to making decisions on that," Mr. Christie told reporters.
"Obviously, we wanted to study the actual decision of the court with a view to making a determination on the way forward.
"[Philip "Brave" Davis, the PLP’s lead attorney in the election challenges], has been involved in technical arguments, which I think are continuing before the courts in the Marco City case. I’m to be advised by attorneys in the case and [Senator Pleasant Bridgewater] with respect to their views on the way forward. I have my view and I will share those views with them and then indicate the position moving forward."
A scrutiny lasting more than 10 hours on Monday determined that Mr. Woodside won the seat by 49 votes. The May 2 election official results had put him ahead of Mrs. Maynard Gibson by 64 votes.
But Marco City MP Zhivargo Laing is hoping his case does not make it that far. His attorney Fred Smith is pushing to have the Election Court case thrown out.
On Thursday, Mr. Davis sought to convince the court why Ms. Bridgewater’s petition should stand.
Ms. Bridgewater claims in her petition that certain people who voted in the constituency were not legally entitled to do so, either because they were not ordinarily resident in Marco City or were not citizens of The Bahamas.
But Mr. Smith has indicated that there are no facts pleaded in Ms. Bridgewater’s petition or supporting affidavits to establish cause of action. Mr. Smith has submitted that Ms. Bridgewater’s case is "scandalous", "frivolous" and "vexatious".
Mr. Christie noted that all three cases were separate case.
Senior Justice Anita Allen and Justice Jon Isaacs pointed to egregious failures in the parliamentary registration system and said the parliamentary commissioner failed to ensure the integrity of the system.
The justices said the 10-weeklong case also revealed that "far too many Bahamians are willing to take an oath without regard to truth and their promises before Almighty God."
Mr. Christie has called on Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham to ensure that the parliamentary registration system is reformed. He said the judgment of the court is sufficient to cause all parties including the government to review these matters seriously.
The PLP leader called for an all-party conference type approach to addressing the issue.
"I knew what I did as head of the government to ensure that the parliamentary commissioner had in place access to whatever resources he needed," he said.
"I don’t need to get caught up now because obviously as prime minister I [was] responsible for that period and therefore that is why I am saying knowing what I know we ought to conduct some form of investigation, some sort of oversight in this matter so that we may draw conclusions that would benefit the country moving forward."
PLP To Make Decision On Election Court Cases
By Macushla N. Pinder
In the wake of the recent Pinewood decision, the final two defeated PLP candidates pursuing their cases before the Election Court will make a determination along with the Progressive Liberal Party whether to proceed with their matters before the court, according to party leader, Perry Christie.
On Monday, PLP Senator Allyson Maynard Gibson lost her bid to have the court determine that she – and not the FNM’s Byran Woodside – is the duly elected member of parliament for Pinewood.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Mr. Christie was asked whether the party will pursue the Marco City and Blue Hills cases in light of the disappointing outcome in the Pinewood matter.
"The persons concerned will be discussing the matter with their attorneys and with the leadership of the party with a view to making decisions on that," Mr. Christie told reporters.
"Obviously, we wanted to study the actual decision of the court with a view to making a determination on the way forward.
"[Philip "Brave" Davis, the PLP’s lead attorney in the election challenges], has been involved in technical arguments, which I think are continuing before the courts in the Marco City case. I’m to be advised by attorneys in the case and [Senator Pleasant Bridgewater] with respect to their views on the way forward. I have my view and I will share those views with them and then indicate the position moving forward."
A scrutiny lasting more than 10 hours on Monday determined that Mr. Woodside won the seat by 49 votes. The May 2 election official results had put him ahead of Mrs. Maynard Gibson by 64 votes.
But Marco City MP Zhivargo Laing is hoping his case does not make it that far. His attorney Fred Smith is pushing to have the Election Court case thrown out.
On Thursday, Mr. Davis sought to convince the court why Ms. Bridgewater’s petition should stand.
Ms. Bridgewater claims in her petition that certain people who voted in the constituency were not legally entitled to do so, either because they were not ordinarily resident in Marco City or were not citizens of The Bahamas.
But Mr. Smith has indicated that there are no facts pleaded in Ms. Bridgewater’s petition or supporting affidavits to establish cause of action. Mr. Smith has submitted that Ms. Bridgewater’s case is "scandalous", "frivolous" and "vexatious".
Mr. Christie noted that all three cases were separate case.
Senior Justice Anita Allen and Justice Jon Isaacs pointed to egregious failures in the parliamentary registration system and said the parliamentary commissioner failed to ensure the integrity of the system.
The justices said the 10-weeklong case also revealed that "far too many Bahamians are willing to take an oath without regard to truth and their promises before Almighty God."
Mr. Christie has called on Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham to ensure that the parliamentary registration system is reformed. He said the judgment of the court is sufficient to cause all parties including the government to review these matters seriously.
The PLP leader called for an all-party conference type approach to addressing the issue.
"I knew what I did as head of the government to ensure that the parliamentary commissioner had in place access to whatever resources he needed," he said.
"I don’t need to get caught up now because obviously as prime minister I [was] responsible for that period and therefore that is why I am saying knowing what I know we ought to conduct some form of investigation, some sort of oversight in this matter so that we may draw conclusions that would benefit the country moving forward."