BRADES, Montserrat, CMC – A former legal advisor at the Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, George Kirnon, has successfully appealed a high court ruling barring him from being a candidate in Thursday’s general election in Montserrat.
Kirnon is a candidate for the United Alliance (MNI party), which is led by former premier Reuben Meade.
Last week, Justice Brian Cottle upheld the Returning Officer’s decision to disallow Kirnon’s candidacy. Kirnon is a former senior legal officer with the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank.
However, in its ruling on Monday, the East Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) said that the Returning Officer exceeded her jurisdiction and had no authority to rule Kirnon’s nomination invalid.
The ECSC, which heard the matter on Saturday and delivered its ruling by Zoom on Monday, said any question regarding Kirnon’s nomination had to be made on Nomination Day, October 10, and that no other candidate had officially made an objection to Kirnon’s candidacy.
According to the law, “any person entitled to be present at nomination proceedings may challenge the validity of any other candidate’s nomination paper.”
It also gives the Returning Officer the authority to reject a candidate’s nomination unilaterally.
“In addition to it, the Returning Officer shall have the right on his motion to hold a nomination paper invalid on the ground either that the particulars concerning the candidate or the persons subscribing to the nomination are not as required by law or that the nomination paper is not subscribed as required by law.”
Media reports had indicated that the contention regarding Kirnon’s nomination was whether or not he satisfied the requirement for time spent on the island before nomination and other related procedural issues.
The Election Law stipulates that a candidate must be “a registered voter and has been in Montserrat for at least twelve months during the five years immediately preceding the date of his or her nomination for election.”
Kirnon had recently successfully challenged the Electoral Commission to reinstate his name on the Voters Register.
The official list approved by the Montserrat Electoral Commission (MEC) showed 33 candidates for the election.
The ruling Movement For Change And Prosperity (MCAP), now under the leadership of Dr Samuel Joseph, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Communication, Works Energy and Labour, submitted a full slate of nine candidates.
Former premier Donaldson Romeo said that the National Progressive Movement (NPM) had agreed to merge with the People’s Democratic Movement (NPM) led by Opposition Leader Paul Lewis to contest the 24 general election.
Meanwhile, several observer teams, including the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and Mediterranean Region (CPA BIMR), have arrived to observe the polls.
“I welcome this opportunity to work with Commonwealth parliamentarians to observe the general election in Montserrat on 24 October 2024,” said Shellya Rogers-WeMissiona, Member of the House of Assembly of Anguilla, who heads the mission.
“Election Observations are essential in strengthening democracies, upholding international standards in electoral processes, and enhancing public trust in institutions. This MiMissioneflects that, and we are grateful for the warm reception we have already received from individuals and groups in Montserrat who are willing to engage with the mission, she added.
As part of the observation efforts, the CPA BIMR team is meeting with various stakeholders, including media representatives, to discuss their experiences and the role of the media during the election period.
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