NY Caribbean Democratic Institute says unexplained delay of elections results in St. Kitts and Nevis dubious

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. Feb. 17, 2015: The New York based Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) has condemned the unexplained delay in the declaration of elections results in St. Kitts and Nevis. The Caribbean island nation went to the polls in general elections yesterday, February 16, 2015.

CGID President Rickford Burke in a statement Tuesday said “It is utterly unacceptable that almost twenty-four hours after the people of St. Kitts and Nevis exercised their franchise to select a new government, there seems to be a deliberate effort to delay the election results.”

“The unexplained delay has justifiably engendered confusion and speculation of apparent dubious motives; including an attempt to undermine the democratic process by impeding the expressed will of the people,” he contended.

Burke said that from pronouncements by the Prime Minster of Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves; St Kitts and Nevis opposition Unity Party Leader, Dr. Timothy Harris, as well as several press reports, it appears that the opposition Unity Party has defeated the ruling Labor Party lead by Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas.

“If it is factual that the government has indeed lost the elections, then Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas and Supervisor of Elections Mr. Wingrove George have a constitutional obligation to follow the rule of law. They must immediately cause the elections results to be declared in accordance with the constitution so that a peaceful transition of government can ensue. In the absence of a judicial fiat enjoining them from doing so, their failure to declare the results would be a breach of the law.”

The GGID head also contended that it is unacceptable for CARICOM to remain silent on this matter. He called on CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister Perry Christie of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, to state the community’s position on the matter and to uphold the universal principles of democracy and CARICOM’s own Charter of Civil Societies.

Burke said Caricom Heads must stop the practice of acting to protect their colleague Heads who engage in the most horrendous undemocratic shenanigans in defiance of the will of the people expressed through their vote. He hailed comments on the matter by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines as “refreshing.”