ABLP claims victory over Asot Michael in his fight to remain on party’s ticket

POINTE XPRESS:

 

After a series of setbacks in the High Court in the battle between St. Peter’s MP Asot Michael who turned to the court in a bid to remain ABLP’s candidate in that seat, and the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party, which has staunchly defended its right to determine who runs on its ticket, a default judgement entered on Monday against Michael appears to have given the ABLP the only victory that matters in the stand-off.

 

A default judgement was entered against Michael after his legal team failed to enter a defence to the ABLP’s submission that the determination of who is suitable to run on a party’s political ticket was not a matter within the court’s purview to adjudicate.

 

The terms of the judgement, which was handed down on 28th February and entered on 7th March, is expected to be determined by the court in the coming days.

 

While this is not the end of the legal manoeuvring between the ABLP and Michael, this decision has effectively cleared the way for the ABLP to move ahead with plans to replace Michael as the party’s candidate for St. Peter. One of Michael’s strongest contentions was that the party had no right to exclude him from the process of becoming a candidate based on his “suitability”.

 

The ABLP on the other hand has argued that it maintains the right to screen potential political candidates for not only their ability to win, but also on other factors determined by the party, as part of the selection process. Asot Michael was named in a UK scandal involving a British billionaire Peter Virdee several years ago.

 

It was alleged that UK police had obtained evidence that Michael attempted to obtain favours from the businessman in return for advancing his interests in Antigua and Barbuda and other Caribbean territories. Michael was forced to resign as a member of the Gaston Browne Cabinet until such time as he was able to clear himself of the accusations levelled against him. To date, the matter that led to his resignation has not been resolved. Dr. David Dorsett who represents the ABLP’s leader, Gaston Browne, General Secretary, Mary-Claire Hurst and Chairman, E. P. Chet Greene in this matter, said on Monday, “We have obtained a default judgment against Mr. Michael. We can count our chickens and plan for the victory dance.”

 

He also explained what is likely to happen next. “It is almost certain that Mr. Michael too will be obtaining a default judgment on the issue of the Disciplinary Tribunal. As you would know, he filed two claims on the same matter and by sleight of hand was able to have us expecting to proceed on and complete his first action but in fact he was proceeding with a second action. He was then able to get both the first and the second actions consolidated.

 

“Any further proceedings in current litigation involving Mr. Michael will not substantially change the decisive result that has been achieved today. I think the objective of the Leadership of the Party has been achieved.”

 

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