JAN 03

Barrister-at-law Michael Sylvester has filed a petition in the high court on behalf of the New National Party (NNP) defeated candidate in the South St. George Constituency, Ann David-Antoine challenging the result of the November 27 polling.

The NNP saw the seat falling in the hands of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) through its candidate, first-timer, Glynis Roberts who lives in the Woodlands area of the constituency.

Antoine, the former principal of the Palmiste-based vocational institute known as New Life Organisation, has since been appointed to the Senate to serve as Minister of Health in the new government.

She complained in the petition that a number of irregularities took place on polling day which should result in the voting process being declared "null and void".
Following are some of the highlights in the election petition filed by Sylvester on behalf of the defeated Antoine:

1. Your Petitioner (Ann David-Antoine) states that the said Election was marked by irregularities in breach of the Representation of the People Act No. 35 of 1993 resulting in voting by persons who were not entitled to vote.

2. Your Petitioner states that the said Election was further marked by irregularities in breach of the Representation of the People Act. No. 35 of 1993 resulting in voting by persons who were not entitled to vote.

3. Your Petitioner states that the said Election was further marked by irregularities in breach of the Representation of the People Act. No. 35 of 1993 in that a Ballot Box was removed by the Presiding Officer and a Polling Clerk from its place in Polling Station LO2 which was situated at Springs Day Care Center, such removal being in breach of Section 56 (1) of the said Act.

4. That for the period during which the said Ballot Box was removed from the Polling Station LO2, persons otherwise entitled to vote were prevented from voting due to the abscence of the Presiding Officer and Poll Clerk, in breach of Section 56 of the said Act, and thereby affecting the Petitioner's rights.

5. That, to the Petitioner's best knowledge and belief, during the time in which the said Ballot Box was not present in Polling Station LO2, a Ballot Paper or Ballot Papers was or were issued to a person or persons, and such Ballot Paper or Papers was or were placed in that Box and was or were not counted at the subsequent counts, thereby affecting the number of votes cast for one or more of the Candidates, in breach of Section 56 of the said Act, and thereby affecting the Petitioner's rights.

6. That the aforesaid irregularities and breaches of the Representation of the People Act No. 35 of 1993 and or the breaches of the said Act and or the irregularities included in this Petition taken individually, together or in different combinations or taken cumulatively resulted in substantial distortion and subversion of the process and as a result the outcome of the Election was substantially distorted and affected so that the result does not represent the will of the majority of the people.

WHEREFORE Your Humble Petitioner PRAYS that it may be determined by This Honourable Court that the said Glynis Roberts was not duly elected or returned for Constituency of Saint George South, and that the said Election be declared null and void.