Tweet
Hanover East deserves closure now
Sunday, October 21, 2007
We are relieved, as we are sure many must be, that the appellate court has finally ruled on the matter of the contentious ballots in the Hanover East constituency case.
For although there are no indications that lawyers representing the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP's) Mr Barrington Gray are prepared to concede defeat in the face of the court's ruling to proceed with the magisterial recount for the Hanover East seat, the matter is undoubtedly coming closer to an inevitable close.
As things stand now, four members of the country's judiciary - a resident magistrate and three local appellate court judges - have adjudged 56 ballots invalid.
According to yesterday's edition of the Daily Observer, the ballots were so badly torn that the date, name of the constituency, polling division number and presiding officer's signature, important indicators of their bonafides, were missing, rendering them unfit for the count.
That means that after the tally, any grouse will have to be taken before the court by way of an election petition, which, in the words of Mr Gray's lawyer, Mr Harold Brady, is likely to be quite lengthy.
In the meantime, the winner is going to be sworn in and take his place in the Parliament on behalf of the people of Eastern Hanover.
There's no telling what will happen between such time and the outcome of the election petition, which, according to our understanding, cannot go beyond the jurisdiction of the local appellate court. The same local appellate court, we might add, that invalidated the ballots in the first place.
And so, for the people of Eastern Hanover at least, it comes down to this.
Whoever emerges with the majority of votes at the end of the magisterial recount will be obliged to get on with the task of representing the constituency, although the victory may or may not survive the next election date.
For their sake, we hope that the 'loser', for want of a better word, will spare some time, even while pursuing his legitimate expectations through the judicial system, to work with the 'winner' with a view to serving the best interests of the constituency.
Anything outside of that would, we submit, be rather unfair to and disrespectful of the electorate.
For according to the new paradigm being articulated by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, it is time for Jamaica to be governed through a spirit of unity and co-operation.
From where we sit, that spirit of co-operation must manifest itself in the modus operandi of our politicians as they work together, irrespective of who is holding the proverbial handle or blade.
Over to you, gentlemen.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
We are relieved, as we are sure many must be, that the appellate court has finally ruled on the matter of the contentious ballots in the Hanover East constituency case.
For although there are no indications that lawyers representing the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP's) Mr Barrington Gray are prepared to concede defeat in the face of the court's ruling to proceed with the magisterial recount for the Hanover East seat, the matter is undoubtedly coming closer to an inevitable close.
As things stand now, four members of the country's judiciary - a resident magistrate and three local appellate court judges - have adjudged 56 ballots invalid.
According to yesterday's edition of the Daily Observer, the ballots were so badly torn that the date, name of the constituency, polling division number and presiding officer's signature, important indicators of their bonafides, were missing, rendering them unfit for the count.
That means that after the tally, any grouse will have to be taken before the court by way of an election petition, which, in the words of Mr Gray's lawyer, Mr Harold Brady, is likely to be quite lengthy.
In the meantime, the winner is going to be sworn in and take his place in the Parliament on behalf of the people of Eastern Hanover.
There's no telling what will happen between such time and the outcome of the election petition, which, according to our understanding, cannot go beyond the jurisdiction of the local appellate court. The same local appellate court, we might add, that invalidated the ballots in the first place.
And so, for the people of Eastern Hanover at least, it comes down to this.
Whoever emerges with the majority of votes at the end of the magisterial recount will be obliged to get on with the task of representing the constituency, although the victory may or may not survive the next election date.
For their sake, we hope that the 'loser', for want of a better word, will spare some time, even while pursuing his legitimate expectations through the judicial system, to work with the 'winner' with a view to serving the best interests of the constituency.
Anything outside of that would, we submit, be rather unfair to and disrespectful of the electorate.
For according to the new paradigm being articulated by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, it is time for Jamaica to be governed through a spirit of unity and co-operation.
From where we sit, that spirit of co-operation must manifest itself in the modus operandi of our politicians as they work together, irrespective of who is holding the proverbial handle or blade.
Over to you, gentlemen.