Lawyers want new statements thrown out

Lawyers representing Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and his Education Minister Petter St Jean have asked a High Court to throw out new witnesses statements in the dual nationality hearing against them.



The statements were filed last week, one week before the hearing.



The main opposition United Workers Party wants the Court to declare that both Skerrit and St Jean were illegally nominated to contest the December 2009 general election because they held dual citizenship at the time.



The subpoenas filed by the opposition party are intended to force the prime minister and his senior cabinet colleague to give evidence in court.



However, their attorney Queen Counsel Anthony Astaphan argued that the petitioners should not seek assistance from either Skerrit or St. Jean.



Astaphan also referred to the subpoenas as an abuse of the process.