The main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) has delivered on its intentions to launch legal action against former member and now Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and Blue Economy Anthony Smith Jr.

The party will be asking the court to rule on the independence of the All Saints West Member of Parliament.

Noted Attorney Justin L. Simon KC is integrally involved in the process. He told a news conference on Monday that Smith, now a member of the Cabinet, cannot be considered an independent member of the House of Representatives.

“It is the first of its kind and we are not going to allow it to sit and fester. Let the courts determine whether that is right or wrong,” Simon said.

Political leader of the party Jamale Pringle said the legal documentation have already been filed.

“I would just state here that there are persons within the constituency that is challenging the decision made by Anthony Smith. And we, the United Progressive Party, having a legal team in place is basically supporting those individuals with that case.”.

The UPP also intends to challenge the government’s recent salary increase for MP’s. The party believes the matter should have been debated in Parliament.

“To provide for any increase in those payments and remunerations, there has to be an amendment to that Act. It cannot be sufficient to say, well, there is an increase in compensation to public services,” said Attorney Kendrickson Kentish, another member of the UPP’s team.