Are the ULP Election Petitions filed against the NDP a camouflage or convenience?

EDITOR: According to both media houses; the St.Vincent Times and iWitness news, ULP candidates, Carlos Williams of the Northern Grenadines and Luke Browne of East Kingstown, both lodged in the High Court, election petitions respectively against Godwin Friday of the Northern Grenadines and Fitzgerald Bramble of East Kingstown as a result of the November, 27, general elections. The petitions were filed on Thursday,18, December, 2025, twenty-one days after the election was held.

The petitions quite obviously are a follow-up on objections laid against Godwin Friday and Fitzgerald Bramble on nomination day, November, 10th, 2025. The objections are that both candidates, Friday and Bramble by virtue of their own act, swear allegiance to a foreign power or state. Their objection, however, is based on sec. (26)(1)(a) of the Constitution which states: 26 (1) No person shall be qualified to be elected or appointed as a Representative or Senator (hereinafter in this section referred to as a member) if he (a)is by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power state.

Both Friday and Bramble are, however, basing their defense on sec.(25)(1)(a) of the Constitution which states: 25-(1) Subject to the provisions of section 26 of this Constitution, a person shall be qualified to be elected as a Representative if, and shall not be so qualified unless, he (a) Is a Commonwealth citizen of the age of twenty-one years or upwards.

The objections, however, were rejected on nomination day and both candidates were nominated to contest the elections. This being a constitutional matter, one would have thought that the matter would have gone to the High Court, via the Attorney General prior [to] the election day. This apparently did not happen and apparently the Supervisor of Elections had the final say and both Friday and Bramble were allowed to contest the elections.

The Representation of the People ACT Form 3 Rule 6.

Statutory Declaration of a Person Nominated for Election as a Member of The House of Assembly FOR ……… CONSTITUENCY.

Qualification of nominated as a candidate for election as a member of the House of Assembly for the constituency of …….

I……in ……of ……….. do solemnly and sincerely

declare as follows 4. I am not by virtue of my own act, under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.

And I make this declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and according to the Declaration in Lieu of Oaths Act (Cap)157) and I am aware that if there is any statement in this declaration which is false and which I know to be false or do not believe to be true I am liable to a fine and imprisonment.

Signed ……. Declared before me this …… day of ……… 2025.

Signed ………. The SVG Constitution Sec. 29 (3)(c) subject to the provisions of subsection (4) of this section, if any other circumstances arise that, if he were not a member, would cause him to be disqualified to be elected or appointed as such by virtue of subsection (1) of section 26 of this Constitution or of any law enacted in pursuance of subsection (2) or (3) of that section.

Sec. 29 (4)(a) If any circumstances such as are referred to in paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of this section arise because any member……… reported guilty of an offence relating to elections and if it is open to the member to appeal against the decision (either with the leave of a court of law or other authority or without such leave) he shall forthwith cease to perform his functions as a member but subject to the provisions of this, he shall not vacate his seat until the expiration of a period of thirty days thereafter: Provided that the Speaker may, at the request of the member, from time to time extend that period for further periods of thirty days…….however, that extensions of time exceeding in the aggregate one hundred and fifty days shall not be without the approval, signified by resolution of the House.

Conclusion If therefore Canada is neither a Foreign power or State to SVG, it means therefore that both Canada and SVG are still colonies of the UK.

Matthew Thomas, retired pharmacist and political activist.