Prime Minister Godwin Friday appeared unbothered as he exited the High Court in Kingstown on Thursday after a case management session in the lawsuits in which the Unity Labour Party (ULP) is challenging his eligibility as a candidate in the Nov. 27, 2025, general elections.
“Yeah. It’s a beautiful day,” he said when asked by the media to comment.
“It is a wonderful day. Look at the sunshine,” he said as he raised his hand to the sky, then directed the media to the lead counsel for the government, Anand Ramlogan S.C., of Trinidad and Tobago.
The ULP is challenging the election of Friday as well as his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, saying their Canadian citizenship bars them from qualifying as candidates for election to the Parliament of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).
Friday has been MP for Northern Grenadines since 2001, while Bramble is in his second five-year term as MP for East Kingstown.
Ramlogan described the case management hearing as “an interesting, if not amusing experience.
“The mandate given to the newly elected prime minister is overwhelming, and this is an attempt by the petitioners to effect change, otherwise than by the democratic process,” he said.
Friday led the NDP to a 14-1 victory over the Unity Labour Party, which had been in office since March 2001.
The NDP also won 10,055 votes more than the ULP in the polls, to register the strongest electoral victory by a political party since the NDP won all 15 seats in 1989.
“The mandate is such that we are extremely confident that these election petitions will be dealt with swiftly and it will be given the due care and attention that they deserve. But as you can see from the Honourable Prime Minister and the Attorney General’s faces, they don’t look too worried or troubled by it,” he said.
Friday and Attorney General Louise Mithcell smiled as their lawyer spoke to the media.
Ramlogan said the next hearing in the matter is slated for May 19, ahead of the trial from July 28-30.
“In the meantime, we’ve got to file evidence and comply with certain case management directions. We fixed the trial window because the Prime Minister is anxious to get on with this matter,” he said of the trial.
“He’s instructed me through his attorney general to lead with this matter swiftly and expeditiously. So, we have fixed a trial date for the last week in July, and we expect to get on with this matter and press on with it because the prime minister does not wish to be distracted by these matters. He wants to tend to the people’s business, to ensure that he attends to matters of state,” Ramlogan told the media.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media separately outside the same court, former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Stuart Young, the lead counsel for the ULP in the petitions, said the verdict of the court on the issue is very important.
“Well, this matter for Vincentians is a serious matter, and what is being determined by the court really is an interpretation of your constitutional provisions and the qualification, or the disqualification to stand as a candidate for elections,” he said.
“So it’s quite an important provision that is finally going to be determined by the court,” Young told the media, adding that the judge has set “a tight time frame and timeline” that will see the trial taking place on July 28 to 30.
“But it is important because it is going to set the future and finally, determine and interpret the disqualification provisions of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Constitution, and in particular, by having citizenship from Canada, how does that affect one’s ability to qualify to run for elections in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,” Young said.
He was asked to comment on the ruling of the court in other parts of the Caribbean on similar matters, including in St. Kitts and Nevis, where the court ruled that former prime minister Denzil Douglas, holding a diplomatic passport from Dominica barred him from contesting elections in Basseterre.
“The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Constitution has some similarities, but there are also certain differences,” Young told the media.
“So it’s important that this matter be determined for the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines. There will be authorities from other jurisdictions that will be relied on by both sides. It’s an extremely experienced judge that we’e before, so we’re fortunate with that,” he said, adding that he was “not going to preempt anything here”.
Agustus Carlos Williams, the ULP’s Northern Grenadines candidate in the November 2025 polls, is challenging the nomination of Friday as well as the action of the returning office, Devon Ollivierre, and the Supervisor of Elections, Dora James, in that regard.
As is the case with these types of matters, the attorney general is also a respondent.
The defendants are represented by lawyers Zhinga Horne-Edwards, Samantha Robertson, and Gabrielle Myers.
In the second matter, Luke Browne is challenging Bramble’s nomination and the action of the returning officer, Jacqueline Browne, the supervisor of elections and the attorney general in that regard.
The defendants’ lawyers are Shirlan “Zita” Barnwell, Samantha Robertson and Gabrielle Myers.
In the lead-up to the November vote, the ULP had urged voters not to cast ballots for Friday and Bramble, saying those votes would be wasted.
The party also announced that it would challenge their nomination to participate in the polls, given that they allegedly hold Canadian citizenship.
Ramlogan and Young are among five non-national lawyers who have been retained in the case.
Kate Quincy Temple–Mabe, of England, and Vishal Siewsaran, Vishal Siewsaran and Ganesh Saroop, of Trinidad and Tobago, will also represent Friday, Bramble and the other government officials who are being sued.
While taxpayers will fit the bill of the government personnel, the ULP has a ton load of money it seems. After being overwhelmingly beaten at the polls; the ULP is very boldfaced to challenge the validity of the candidates who beat their opponents solidly. In the case of Carlos Willimas, he lost his deposit and Luke Browne was beaten by over a thousand votes.
Now, the ULP, Ralph Gonsalves and their stalwarts have gotten really desperate. LOL
After so much elections?because Mr man got defeated by the Doc he trying all kinda thing
total nonsense.
Savoring the idea of a counter suit I suppose. So much easier than running a country..distractions,distractions..give it your all ,Sir. The country is totally behind on this one.
How do we get here?
I thought the Canadian passports were returned already!
I am not a lawyer, and do not wish to delve into the legal ramifications of dual citizenship. However, as PM, there is the need for sole allegiance to the constitution of SVG.
Now that Dr. Friday is PM, why go to the courts to keep his Canadian citizenship? And I do not want to hear anything about principle! As the holder of the highest office in the land, the only principle here is his pledge to Vincy’s flag and to the constitution of SVG.
Does the PM have any doubts about his tenure as leader of SVG? He can still have access to Canada and its services via his better half.
The ppl have spoken and given the NDP a mandate to run the affairs of the country. Why entangle in court with the ULP? And give relevance to a party the ppl rejected at the polls?
Do not give this mini fire any more oxygen. It is not worth the time and energy fighting these battles.
UNBOTHERED IS THE CODE!
The Court will decide but it will be interesting given the ruling in the St. Kitts/Nevis against Denzil Douglas. Courts generally don’t overturn themselves so we will know for sure whose right about the constitution. The Court can only rule on points of law and have nothing to do with the will of the people so if I was advising Dr Friday and Mr. Bramble, I would suggest they have a backup plan. It will test the strength of the NDP,
but a fix can be done in the event they lose in the court of law which will trump the court of public opinion.
How long did Ralph and his enterage knew that PM Friday and minister Bramble had dual citizenship. ULP never mentioned it in their previous election campaigns, so why now because the NDP won this election