All 146 candidates legitimate - Walker

Danville Walker

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Friday | August 17, 2007

Director of Elections and member of the Electoral Commission, Danville Walker, has advised that all 146 candidates for the August 27 general election have been properly nominated.

In a statement to the media yesterday, Mr. Walker made it clear that only a court of law could deem a candidate unqualified.

His remarks come against the background of recent media reports, which indicate that some candidates of the Jamaica Labour Party had dual citizenship at the time of their nomination and therefore could not be elected to the House of Representatives.

Political 'gimmickry'

However, Mr. Walker cautioned the media and the public "not to fall prey and be misled by election or political 'gimmickry' in this sensitive period leading up to the general election".

Section 40 (2) of the Jamaican Constitution says no person shall be qualified to be a member of the House of Representatives or Senate if he or she "is, by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power".

Commenting on the issue, constitutional lawyer, Dr. Lloyd Barnett said that, unless a successful challenge is made in relation to a person's qualification to be a Member of Parliament or Senator, that person can remain in the Parliament.

In an earlier interview, Dr. Barnett said: "The person retains the seat and is validly there unless there is a pronouncement by the court."