The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines wants the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) to pay the lawyer fees the court ordered after dismissing the two petitions challenging the results of the December 2015 general elections.
The NDP, having lost the case, was ordered to pay for the government’s lawyer fees.
And, speaking on WE FM on Sunday, Gonsalves said this is an unsettled matter from the NDP’s court challenges.
“… and I am sure Montgomery Daniel and Louis Straker will raise it and I am sure the attorney general will raise it,” he said.
The NDP has challenged the election of Sir Louis in Central Leeward and Daniel in North Windward and both politicians, members of Gonsalves’ Unity Labour Party, had to hire their own counsel.
“We have a judgement,” Gonsalves said. “That is to say, the petition was thrown out. The two petitions last time. They were defeated in the High Court. They lodged an appeal and didn’t pursue it. I am talking about the NDP. What about the legal costs in that case? The cost follows the cause.
“It is a matter that I am raising because the government has had to pay a lot of money and I expect the same with Montgomery Daniel and Louis Straker, because they had their own lawyers.
“You can’t just put people through this fight and just walk away; you just do it for political effect. No. That is why you have a system of cost,” said Gonsalves, a lawyer.
This is the same Gonsalves led government that took over a decade to pay Marcus De Freitas?
First take beam of of your eyes before see the mote in the eyes of Others..
You have political destroy and confiscated Citizens property thru lagalistic laws or one might say asperatincreated over night one through I-man votes in Parliament.
Many Judgements by the Court are still pending. You lost and asked to pay the plaintive or defendants and you refused to carried out that order .
For years Ralphie , you never comply on some on those , only ones that was going to expose or seize a Government building.(Financial Complex) you quickly pay up.
SVG is one of Country that a Lawyer can defiled a Court Order and not discipline or your government is so powerful to hide under and when ever I-man feel to comply.
In other countries government abides by Court decisions. In SVG it seem that like Court listen to government narratives and decisions. So this might embolden him to ca stigate anyone publicly for not quickly settling judgement and at same time going scotch free for years.
While iam on this . The tax payers is SVG should not pay for your legal bill for any political party.
Government ceased on Nomination Day and vie for that position on Election Day and majority may formed
At the same time if there is dispute and the
parties are being informed then it is the Parties to settle matter. On election day each party full of lawyers working on there behalf.
How comes government pay the bill for one party side and not the other?
Casing point in USA President Donald Trump have pay for used of the Airplane when he goes on political assignments and anything associated with campaigning.
All law suits by Trumpism is from Trump and not the Tax payers of America. (Example)
Ralphie stop be spiteful something is drewing and firing shot first.
What Do you think of that small voice calling from below Aspirational Asparational hope when they do fine out how we does it every election take it as man.
What I like to see in Electoral Reform.
From this pased Election the whole system needs to destroy and come up with new Electoral reform.
1. Set Month and Day and for what length of time for campaigning for Election every five yr.
2. On Nomination Day Government time is up and Head of State in Control along with Head of the Police.
3. No tax payer funding .No government materials and resources should be use to bride the citizens to vote.
4. All Parties must get the same Equal time if public airwave is use to disseminate information and public places.
5. Election commission selected by the constituents from the 15 constituencies with the power to recall if their integrity in question and not appointed by party or government.
6. Abolish the 14 days registration which is unconstitutional because it leaves no room for vetting and verify applicants live in constituency.
7. Abolish the JP system and give that tasks to the Police and let them raise their hands and swear to tell the truth with penalties attached to false declaration. This the Police power to investigate.
8. How long a person “Must” live in constituency to vote, it must also applied to people who is not living in SVG also. If they will like to vote they too must be back home living same amount months before an Election call..
Cont…
My two cent
The PM has not set a good examle of paying up. So is he qualified to ask others to pay up?
The ULP Government do it all the time, courts make awards against the government and the government ignore them, pay nothing and do nothing. Everyone has to come back to Papa.
Much of the cost stems from the fact that the ULP were doing everything possible to prolong the case for years and years when the NDP certainly wanted a SPEEDY TRIAL! In that case the ULP…yes! the ULP PARTY should pay the costs! If it were up to the NDP the issue would have been addressed RIGHT AWAY…LIKE IT IS ON ALL OTHER COUNTRIES ON PLANET EARTH!!! but thanks to the ULP’S TOTAL CONTROL, it turned out to be a VERY long and EXPENSIVE TRIAL.
Therefore the burden of cost most certainly goes to the ULP Party! Most of the cost to the NDP should therefore also be shouldered by the ULP because the NDP was undeniably denied a speedy trial! The entire nation and Caribbean knows this!
Gonsalves, you set the example first. Don’t be so naive. Do unto others as you would like others done unto you.
What’s the matter with you, didnt the court order your govt to pay Marcus,the three teachers,Otto Sam among others did you pay them,but u coming and opening ur big pie hole and play you talking ,you have no moral authority to demand anything from NDP.Yiu just seeking to legitimize your flagrant flaunting of the courts ruling against your Government. So just shut up and fulfill your obligations to those mentioned above.you dont bother wid NDP you were ordered by the court so long ago to pay and you ain’t pay.NDP will take care of their business. You take care of yours.Ok.
When the Court order the government to pay Mr Sam did they pay the same time what about the teachers and Mr De Freitas you think you above the law or you are the law any case against the ULP the NDP will win because they are the party with the most votes.
All this crap to hint to the NDP not to pursue the NL one (1) vote win case? Ralph ask Mike Browne if he already paid up his cost to the then NDP government when he challenged a result at the polls while in Opposition?
This man is sick. How he not paying who he owes. Fire to you devil.
The court ordered you to pay Mr Toussaint, Mr Defreitas, the three teachers, Otto Sam, To date, have you paid them? Are you a political animal? or an uncaged animal?
Pay for what U go ur way
Marcus cant get his money til now
Home owners in Argyle nah get a penny yet
No Money for ur Wicked Ass
I won’t brag about those cases Ralph. You didn’t present the ballots to prove no fraud was committed. You still owe people money, so don’t go down that slippery road.
I was thinking that maybe the Government or the ULP should pay the NDP costs. Since it was the ULP that delayed, delayed, delayed; seemingly running up the costs for the NDP as high as possible. I wonder who paid for the ULP side? Was it OUR tax money? Either the costs (plural) should be paid for by each party, or the ULP should pay the cost of both, seeing how badly they conducted that election.
I hope that since that election that the ULP will conduct elections without the hauty arrogance and lack of procedural training as that election. The MAIN entity that has to be shown consideration and demonstrate that it is free and fair, is the opposition. Otherwise our elections will become like those in the USA, with mass cheating, such as in the Democrat states.