Top News Election Watch: Antigua and Barbuda

Election Petition Case Against ‘Shugy’ Dismissed

Published July 5, 2023, 11:07 AM

OPINION: The Business of Carnival and the Cost of Missed Opportunities

By Zaya Williams

Former St Mary’s South member of Parliament Kelvin ‘Shugy’ Simon is now celebrating a victory in the High Court with a judge ruling in his favor regarding the legal petition challenging the election.

Simon became an MP for the first time in the January elections, nabbing the seat from the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s Samantha Marshall by almost 200 votes.

But shortly after his victory, St Mary’s South constituent brought a case against him claiming that his election was unlawful because he was still employed in the public service at the time of his nomination.

That petition was dismissed but Justice Jan Drysdale moments ago who agreed with arguments that as a result of Simon’s resignation, the ruling would no longer affect him since he has ceased to be a member of parliament.

Judge Drysdale also agreed that it was not for the court to decide who should fill the vacancy but that a by-election should proceed as prescribed by the constitution of Antigua & Barbuda.

The 43-year-old from Bolans has quit his job in the Ministry of Education as a guidance counsellor two weeks prior to the January 18 th polls.

After weeks of waiting for the case to conclude, Simon through in the towel resigning from his post to avoid a lengthy legal battle that he said was unfair to his constituents, further paving the way for a by-election.

By law, a by-election must be held within 120 days of an MP departing their post.

This story was first published by Antigua News on July 5, 2023 at 11:07 AM (Antigua time, UTC−4): antigua.news/2023/07/05/election-petition-case-against-shugy-dismissed. © 2023 Antigua News. Republication without permission is not allowed.

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Comments (6)

Anonymous National July 5, 2023, 11:22 AM

Good. This was a nothing burger case in the first place. This was frivilous and a waste of the courts time
Reply
- Mae July 5, 2023, 1:24 PM
  
  The wastage of taxpayers tax dollars in taking such childish matter into the court.
  Reply
Teacher For Life July 5, 2023, 11:59 AM

Case dismissed as it should be. As a matter of fact it should not have been brought in the first place. Madam Matthews is a sore loser and will be once again. Hopefully, she will just fade into the background accepting defeat gracefully.
Reply
Teacher For Life July 5, 2023, 12:00 PM

* Marshall**
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Mae July 5, 2023, 1:26 PM

Congratulations, Shuggy. God has chosen you for a read to take care of His people. Samantha, God has chosen Shuggy, so please accept it and go sit down. Your time of reign has finished. Ms. Marshall, God has removed you for a reason and you need to obeyed the Almighty. You’re an educated person, you said, so stop let Gassy have you like a fool.
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Thomas July 5, 2023, 6:59 PM

Gassy is not going to sleep tonight. That judge who presided over the case is now in Gassy bad book and she will be transferred to another Caribbean country once Top Dog is still signing her paycheck. Cutie, Gassy wants to know what went wrong in court today? All you can tell him, Cutie, that the voice of the judge is the voice of God and she cannot goes against God decision.
Reply