Constituency Elimination for Alp Candidate‬

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Politics

Tuesday, 05 February 2013 02:30

By caribarena news

‪Antigua St. John's - A leaked draft proposal of the highly anticipated Antigua and Barbuda Constituency Boundaries Reform has revealed major changes planned for boundary lines that could leave Antigua Labour Party's (ALP) parliamentary representative Robin Yearwood without any tangible electoral district to run in at all.



The four member Boundaries Commission has been preparing the draft proposal since April, 2012. Meetings between members have reportedly proved futile and "acrimonious" by one members account, with a clear division between the opposition ALP’s only representative James Fuller and the 3 others, Clarence Crump, Clovis Ralph and James Sabastian representing the government.

 


If passed, the two constituencies of St Phillip's North and South will be replaced with one constituency called St. Phillips. Areas in St Phillip's North which have had historically strong support for MP Yearwood and are considered ALP garrisons, namely Willikies, Seatons and Glanvilles are earmarked to be included in the constituency of St Peters, previously contested by ALP MP Asot Michael and UPPs representative Joanne Massiah.

The proposed changes will also see key areas of support removed from Molwyn Joseph's St. Marys North constituency, including Ebenzer and Mr Joseph’s home village of Jennings, which secured his seat with a large margin at Jennings Secondary School polling station in the 2009 elections.

Without this district, Mr Joseph will no doubt struggle to be re-elected in the next election given that he won his seat overall by only 21 votes across his constituency, against UPP candidate Bertrand Joesph.  

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Lester Bird's constituency of St John’s Rural East is proposed to be split into two, creating St Johns Rural East North and St Johns Rural East South. Mr Birds garrison areas including Johnsons Village and Skerritts Pasture are to be moved into St Johns Rural East South which would be the constituency Mr Bird would represent if changes are agreed, however, he would be losing the key area of Sutherlands which is proposed to be moved to finance minister Harold Lovells constituency of St Johns City East.

It is still uncertain who would be nominated by either party to run for the proposed constituency St Johns Rural East North. The proposed changes would come into effect within close proximity to the next general election and are likely to be challenged in the courts if enacted.

English Harbour and Falmouth areas are also proposed to be moved from the constituency of St Paul’s to St Phillips, whereas Swetes and Old Road (formerly in All Saints East and St Luke) would be moved into St Pauls.

Other changes proposed include Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer’s constituency which will see areas moved into Tiko Lakes St Johns Rural South constituency while Gaston Browns St John’s City West constituency previously contested by Colin Derrick so far remains unchanged.

ALP senator Lennox Weston raised concerns last year during a heated exchange in the Upper House of Parliament as politicians set out to debate the Constituencies Boundaries Commission Act, 2012. Mr Weston argued that the Act would give the Boundaries Commission too much leeway to make changes.

The Act, which focuses on voter parity, states the Commission "shall be guided by the cardinal principle that all constituencies shall contain as nearly equal numbers of inhabitants as appear to the Commission to be reasonably practical", however, that the Commission "may depart from the principle to the extent it considers expedient and necessary."

Factors such as density of population and changing demographics; adequate representation of sparsely populated rural areas, and expanding residential areas are cited as justified causes for boundary changes.

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UPP senator Errol Cort has previously argued that huge inequalities in voter parity in the 2009 election caused him to lose his seat and that each of the 17 constituencies should each have around 3,000 voters if they are to be more equal. At the moment some constituencies have as few as a 1, 000 voters while some have well over 3,000.

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