PNP to challenge court ruling

Dabdoub and Mitchell

THE PEOPLE'S National Party said yesterday that its lawyers will be arguing for a stay of judgment in relation to last Friday's court ruling which ousted Phyllis Mitchell as Member of Parliament for Northeast St. Catherine.

In a statement yesterday, the party said the lawyers were preparing arguments to be presented before the court.

Meanwhile Education Minister, Senator Burchell Whiteman, said programmes previously handled by his former junior minister should remain largely unaffected by the court decision.

He told The Gleaner that while her loss would be "severely felt, we are going to have to find a way to cope."

Following the 1997 elections, attorney, Abe Dabdoub had brought the petition contending that the elections in the constituency was marked by irregularities committed by people who were not entitled to vote, people who voted at polling stations where they were not entitled to and who voted more than once.

Mitchell had polled 4,750 votes to 4,713 for Dabdoub; Bancroft Allen of the NDM polled 117 votes.

On Friday, Justice Basil Reid ruled that Mr.Dabdoub, had won the seat by 23 votes, reducing Mrs. Mitchell's by 56.

Yesterday the Education Minister said Mrs. Mitchell's duties would be shared between himself and State Minister responsible for Youth, Fitz Jackson, who was recently transferred from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.

This was not going to be easy, he admitted, because there were constituency demands, portfolios were already packed and Mrs. Mitchell had been responsible for a number of important areas including Nutritional Products Limited (NPL), an important ingredient in the National School Feeding Programme, which provides meals for students in over 1,500 schools.

"She had responsibilities in significant areas of primary and secondary education especially the refurbishing and extension of schools. It's a lot of detailed work, looking at the actual needs, population movements, projections. What I feel is that they will require more of the time and energy of the other two members of the political directorate who remain, namely myself and Mr. Fitz Jackson. I'm not sure we can do it as well as she can but we are willing to try. (However) We would be happiest if we have Minister Mitchell back," added Minister Whiteman.

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