AG says no constitutional crisis in Antigua

In Antigua and Barbuda the Attorney General Justin Simon says there will be no constitutional crisis in the country if the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal rules against the three elected members of the Baldwin Spencer government.



The case is an election petition filed by the opposition Antigua Labour Party (ALP) and the court is expected to hand down its judgement in St Lucia today.



In declaring the March 12, 2009 election of Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, Tourism Minister John Maginey and Education Minister Jacqui Quinn-Leandro as invalid, Justice Louise Blenman based her ruling on polling day irregularities.



In particular, she cited the long delays before voting began in the constituencies of St John’s Rural West, St John’s Rural North and St George.



However, the ruling United Progressive Party (UPP) appealed the ruling, effectively putting the brakes on the judgment and allowing Spencer and his two ministers to continue in office and as Members of Parliament for their constituencies.



If the High Court upholds the lower court ruling, then the main opposition ALP will control seven of the 14 seats in Parliament, the UPP six seats and the Barbuda Peoples Movement the other seat.