St. John's - Antigua & Barbuda - The election of three government parliamentarians in the March 12, 2009 poll, including Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, was invalid. This is according to news arising from Antigua and Barbuda, high court Judge, Justice Louise Blenman, has deemed that three parliamentarians were was not validly elected.
This follows an injunction to the the court by the defeated Antigua Labour Party (ALP) candidates, Arthur Nibbs, Charles "Max" Fernandez, Dean Jonas, and Gail Christian who had asked the court to rule that there were breaches which affected the results of the March 12, 2009 general elections. After the 2009 general elections in Antigua and Barbuda, the Spencer lead United Progressive Party (UPP) was invited to form the Government hitherto, after "securing" a 9-7 victory.
Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, Tourism Minister John Maginley and Education Minister Jacqui Quinn-Leandro were invalid, meaning the trio will be forced to demit their seats.
The UPP candidates succumbed to allegations of undue influence, breaches of the law for elections regarding polling hours-late opening and closing and breaches to the law for elections regarding the registration list for elections.
Although this is the current situation in Antigua and Barbuda, the Vere Bird lead ALP is unable to automatically take up the portfolio of the new government because they do not command the majority in parliament with only 7-seats under their belts at this time.
The two options which lie for the Antigua and Barbuda at this time is that either by-elections must be held in those constituencies or a general election must be called.
This comes on the heals of FBI Arrests of Texan billionaire Sir Allen Stanford, and an Antigua government official and others for US$7 billion fraud, and victims of accused Ponzi schemer, R. Allen Stanford, through Attorney Peter D. Morgenstern, filing in a class action lawsuit on against Antigua and Barbuda, The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Antigua Commercial Bank, the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Ltd., the Eastern Caribbean Financial Holdings Company Ltd., the National Commercial Bank (SVG) Ltd., and National Bank of Dominica Ltd.
In a press release on March 19, 2010, the Antigua and Barbuda government stated, "The allegation by the self styled Stanford Victims Coalition that the State of Antigua & Barbuda was a partner in, and beneficiary of, R. Allen Stanford's alleged criminal behaviour is totally unfounded". (Official Government website)