KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – Lawyers for the president of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Human Rights Association (SVGHRA), Nicole Sylvester, have written to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves giving him 24 hours to apologise for comments he made about their client or face legal action.
Gonsalves, a lawyer, campaigning for the December 13 general election, told supporters last night that Sylvester, also a lawyer, is an activist for the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) and that his party will oppose her participation in a local group monitoring the general elections.
“I want to give a public notice that the Unity Labour Party will not accept as part of the monitoring excise anybody from the Human Rights Association in St. Vincent because Nicole Sylvester is, for all practical purposes, an NDP activist and so is Jeanie Ollivierre. I want to make that plain, absolute plain,” Gonsalves said.
Gonsalves said the SVGHRA “inveigled” itself in the National Monitoring and Consultative Mechanism (NMCM) during the Constitution referendum that his government lost last year.
But Sylvester’s lawyers said that she is not an “NDP activist” nor is she affiliated with any political party and Gonsalves’ comments are defamatory.
They said that their client “has always sought to uphold her oath to carry out her duties as a barrister-at-law without fear or favour” and has represented “persons on both sides of the political fence.
Meanwhile, another legal battle is brewing between the two main political parties.
The NDP has brought four private criminal complaints relating to election fraud against Luke Browne, the ruling Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) candidate who is challenging NDP leader Arnhim Eustace in East Kingstown.
“Based on sworn statements given to counsel, private criminal proceedings have been instituted against Luke Browne for alleged cheating in this election…” NDP public relations officer, Vynnette Frederick, told reporters.
She said that Grantley Williams, the chairman of Browne’s constituency division and Afie Jack Hall will each also have to answer to one count of election fraud.
“These prosecutions send a clear message to anyone else who wishes to cheat … in this election. We will collect the necessary evidence against you and we will file complaints. You will be prosecuted for your criminal behaviour,” Frederick said.
The charges are the latest in an ongoing saga which began a few weeks ago when Frederick, a lawyer, accused Browne of election fraud when they both appeared on a local radio programme.
Browne denied the accusation and his lawyers have since written to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) asking that Frederick be prosecuted for the accusations.
If the DPP prosecutes Frederick and she is found guilty, she could be jailed and barred from contesting elections here for five years. (CMC)
