Leader of the Opposition Lennox Linton has not ruled out court action to validate the legality of Vince Henderson’s nomination in the Grand Bay By-Election.
Linton and Athie Martin of the “Concerned Citizens” wrote to the chairman of the Electoral Commission Duncan Stowe challenging the legality of Henderson’s nomination.
But Stowe in his response to both gentlemen dismissed their allegations.
Opposition leader Linton has further responded to Stowe.
In his letter, Linton states, “Your November 24th, 2021 response to my letter of November 12th, 2021, in the matter of the responsibility of the Electoral Commission to bar holders of offices of emolument in the service of the State from participating in elections for membership in the House of Assembly, refers. This is a legal and moral obligation essentially connected with the Constitutional appointment of the Electoral Commission as the independent authority responsible for the conduct of free and fair elections with integrity in the Commonwealth of Dominica.”
“In response, Vince Henderson states he is duly qualified to be a member of the House of Assembly because he has been serving as Ambassador to the OAS and the US pro bono since February 2019. He claims to be a consultant whose publicly disclosed engagement in this area to date is as coordinator of the construction of a “geothermal domestic plant” in Dominica and Chairman of Dominica’s 4 Geothermal Negotiating Team. Geothermal Energy development is service to the State paid for by the resources of the State.”
If Mr. Henderson is being paid for whatever work he is doing in geothermal energy development, he is holding an office of emolument in the service of the State. The fact that he has switched his public service emoluments from salary as an ambassador to salary as geothermal energy development coordinator/consultant while still serving as ambassador, does not remove him from the group of persons disqualified to be members of the House of Assembly because they hold or are acting in offices of emolument in the service of the State.
According to Linton, “acting on behalf of Vince Henderson and the Dominica Labour Party, the Electoral Commission has allowed the electoral process in the Grand-Bay By-election to be compromised by blatant violations of the Constitution and the rule of law.
Accordingly, the Courts must be petitioned to declare the participation of Vince Henderson in the Grand-Bay Bye-Election unlawful, invalid, null, and void.”
See attached the full response of Opposition Leader Lennox Linton. https://natureisle.news/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IllegalVince-Duncan.pdf
Leave well alone. The constitution also said that in order for one to be elected to the Parliament he must be able to read and write! I rest my case.