Leader of the ULP Ralph Gonsalves on Monday discussed the legal challenges to the qualifications of Godwin Friday and Fitzgerald Bramble to sit as representatives for the Northern Grenadines and East Kingstown constituencies, respectively.
The petitions, filed by Carlos Williams and Luke Brown, states that Friday and Bramble are disqualified because they voluntarily acquired Canadian citizenship and hold Canadian passports.
Gonsalves said that by these acts, they have subjected themselves to the authority of Canada and hold an allegiance to a foreign power and stated that both Friday and Bramble have acknowledged to the court that they are Canadian citizens and possess Canadian passports.
Gonsalves said the petitioners’ lawyers have been instructed to move the case expeditiously, as election petitions are required by law to be handled quickly. For this reason, the case can only be appealed as far as the Court of Appeal and cannot go beyond that level.
“The petitions were pursued now because the law regarding dual citizenship and parliamentary qualification was “seriously clarified” following a case in St. Kitts and Nevis involving Denzel Douglas”.
Gonsalves said while Godwin Friday has reportedly characterized the petitions as “frivolous,” the matter is of “great constitutional importance” regarding representational politics and the principle that a leader cannot have dual loyalties.
He contrast Friday and Bramble’s situation with other politicians, such as Camilo Gonsalves and Louis Straker, who renounced their foreign citizenships before running for office to avoid questions of loyalty.
Gonsalves said if the High Court determines that Friday and Bramble were disqualified, he understands the law to mean that the candidates on the ballot who were not elected (Williams and Browne) would then become the representatives for those constituencies.
Regarding the salaries already paid to Friday and Bramble, Gonsalves expressed doubt that they would have to pay the money back, noting he is unaware of any precedent for such restitution.
A case management hearing recently occurred, presided over by Justice Gretel Thom, a special acting judge and former member of the Court of Appeal.
The matter has been adjourned until a date in July.