Speaker to decide whether he will accept Shugy’s resignation

Speaker of the House of Assembly Sir Gerald Watt is to decide whether he accepts the resignation of United Progressive Party’s MP for St Mary’s South Kelvin Shugy Simon.

Sir Gerald is expected to make his decision soon. He did confirm receipt of the document.

Simon resigned as the Parliamentary Representative for the constituency just mere weeks before a legal matter challenging the constitutionality of his nomination is due to continue in court

Meanwhile, Samantha Marshall, who lost to Simon by almost a 200-vote margin said she is awaiting word on whether Sir Gerald Watt will accept the resignation of Simon.

She said the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party will then be guided on the way forward by its legal advisors

Marshall said it is unacceptable for any member of Parliament to resign at his whims and fancies

“You cannot have members just willy-nilly, jump and say mi ah resign today. It means you are not serious about politics. The system is not built for individuals to determine on their own volition that there should be by-elections” Marshall said

She said furthermore, Simon may be of the view that his resignation will force a withdrawal of the case but this may not happen

“Knowing the matter is still at the courts, he may assume that he is forcing the attorneys to withdraw the case. But from my understanding the attorneys were instructed not to withdraw the case because we are not satisfied that this is an appropriate legal step that can be done,” she said.

Simon maintains that he is sticking to his decision.

He said in his resignation letter that “it is unfair to the people of St. Mary’s South to have this uncertainty hanging over their heads.  This situation needs to be resolved without further delay.   Therefore, my decision, today, June 7, 2023, is that I want this matter to be settled by the people; not by the Court.  The constituents of St. Mary’s South elected me convincingly before, and I am confident that they will do so again in a by-election.

Members of the UPP say they are also standing behind Simon.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne Browne said Simon recognizes that he cannot serve the people of St Mary’s South at the level of the Parliament; therefore, took the easy way out to resign,”.

He said the ABLP will contest the bi-election vigorously and “we are confident that Sen Samantha Marshall, based on her experience and competence will be returned as the representative of St Mary’s South”, PM Browne told Antigua.news

According to section 125 of the constitution, any person who is appointed or elected to any office established by this Constitution may resign from that office by writing under his hand addressed to the person or authority by whom he was appointed or elected;

Provided that- The resignation of a person from the office of President or Vice-President or from the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker shall be addressed to the Senate or the House, as the case may be, and the resignation of any person from membership of the Senate or the House shall be addressed to the President or the Speaker, as the case may be.

The resignation of any person from any such office as aforesaid shall take effect when the writing signifying the resignation is received by the person or authority to whom it is addressed or any person authorised by that person or authority to receive it.