After hearing arguments to strike out the election petitions on Wednesday, February 15th, High Court Judge Justice – Patrick Thompson Jr, has reserved his decision in that matter. The strike out applications were filed by respondents, among them were Premier, Hon. Mark Brantley and Hon. Spencer Brand of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) Party.

The Election Petitions that Jaedee Caines and Dr. Patricia Bartlette of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) filed are challenging the results of the Nevis #1 (St. Paul’s) and Nevis #2 (St. John’s) seats in the Dec. 12th, 2022 Nevis Island Assembly Election, in which CCM won 3 of the 5 seats, while NRP won 2 seats. Ms. Caines filed her petition on January 10th and Dr. Bartlette filed hers on January 6th.

Both Candidates lost to the incumbents CCM’s Mr. Brand and Premier Brantley, by 27 votes and 147 votes, respectively. NRP’s Leader, Dr. Janice Daniel-Hodge, gave the VONNEWSLINE this comment on the case:

But CCM’s Leader Mr. Brantley stated during the “On the Mark” show on February 15th:

The petitions were filed between 25 and 29 days after the election. Part 5 of the National Assembly Elections Act, Section 1 (a)-Presentation of the election petition, states:

“The petition shall be presented within twenty-one days after the return made by the returning officer of the member to whose election the petition relates, unless it questions the return or election upon an allegation of corrupt practices and specifically alleges a payment of money or other reward to have been made by any member, or on his or her account, or with his or her privity.”

If the latter occurred, according to the Act, “the petition may be presented at any time within twenty eight (28) days after the date of such payment.”