Today the UDP celebrated a small political victory with larger implications. It has to do with a village council election in Concepcion where there was a bye election for Chairman which the UDP won on December 10th. The defeated candidate - who had resigned as a member of the village council in November to run for Chairman - then tried to rescind her resignation and resume her post as member. The Ministry of Local Government appeared ready to accept that, but the UDP strenuously objected. Chairman Michael Peyrefitte wrote to the Chief Elections Officer saying that the decision was unlawful and they would seek judicial review. The Chief Elections officer consulted with the Attorney General's officer which confirmed that the resignation cannot be rescinded and that there must be a by-election for a new member. Today Leader Shyne Barrow said it's a major victory because of the principal established in this village elections:
Shyne Barrow, Opposition Leader
"Well, the Chief Elections Officer, Ms. Josephine Tamai, responded to the party chairman, Senator Peyrefitte, today affirming what we knew, which is that there could be no rescinding of a resignation once the councillor had already resigned."
"Obviously, this is another example of PUP incompetence and trying to manipulate political powers, trying to manipulate the election and boundaries, because there was a duly scheduled by-election for Concepcion, because one of the councillors resigned to run for chair person. She lost, and then a month later attempted to rescind her resignation. And then someone, I believe, pressured the election and boundaries after they had already put out a notification for the by-election to say that was null and void and there would be no by-election."
"Obviously, we would not tolerate that. We know better. And so the party chairman, Senator Peyrefitte, wrote to the Chief Elections Officer, Josephine Tamai, last week, I believe it was last week, Wednesday, and she responded on Monday."
"And again, today, after having gotten advice from the Attorney General, who in his learned wisdom agreed with us that you can't rescind her resignation, there has to be a by-election. So there will be nominations on Sunday and there will be a by-election next Sunday."
