The United Workers Party (UWP) is headed to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) and has raised an excess $30,000 to prosecute its case at the apex court. The legal support fund was raised within two hours to enable the opposition party seek electoral redress at the Supreme Court over the victory of the DLP at the December 2019 general elections.
The UWP had filed 10 petitions of electoral fraud and voting irregularities as well as bribery and corruption against the DLP at the last elections, and wanted the DLP victory in the 10 constituencies across the country annuled. The hearing had held at the High Court in Roseau where Judge Glasglow had ultimately dismissed the entire petitions for lack of merit.
The UWP faulted the ruling of the judge, saying his decision was flawed and smacked of favouritism. The opposition stated that Judge Glasgow based his ruling on the verbal contention of Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan who represented the government in the case. UWP Leader Lennox Linton stated that the opposition is obligated to approach the Supreme Court for redress after the High Court threw out its case because they owe this effort to the thousands of UWP loyalists who suffer oppression under the current government administration.
“We need to keep putting our best foot forward and doing what is right and just in the circumstances that we find ourselves, and certainly it is right and just for us to place ourselves before the court system and insist that the court delivers justice,” Linton stated. “We are not coming to the court asking for favours, we are asking the court to look at our rule of law and adjudicate matters brought based on interpretation of the law and that’s all we ask.”
The UWP has until October 28 to appeal the decision of the High Court, and has sworn to pursue justice for the people and true democracy for all Dominicans. The party however stated that it might still urge members and supporters to donate again in the near future to prosecute legal cases until victory is obtained.
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