Barbudans’ Privy Council win has inspired the UPP to mount more legal challenges in the people’s interest, Tabor says

Following last week’s win at the Privy Council by two Barbudans
who challenged the Gaston Browne Administration, the United
Progressive Party (UPP) says it will be launching more legal action
of its own.

The country’s highest appellate deemed John Mussington and
Jacklyn Frank to have the legal standing to challenge the
Administration’s construction of an airstrip and an international
airport in an environmentally sensitive location on Barbuda.
 
This ruling by the Privy Council overturns the rulings of the High
Court of Justice and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal,
one of which reportedly referred to the Barbudans as busybodies.
 
Feeling buoyed by the ruling, the UPP has decided that it will be
challenging the Labour Party Government on some of its decisions
and policies, according to Damani Tabor, the Party’s public relations
officer.
 
Tabor says the Council’s ruling is precedent-setting in a positive way
– in that ordinary citizens, as well as private and political
organizations, can hold the Government’s feet to the fire, ensuring
that it follows the law and stipulated procedures.
 
He points out that the ruling does not impact future challenges and
outcomes only in Antigua and Barbuda, but throughout the region.
 
Tabor notes, however, that any legal contest mounted by the UPP
will be in the best interest of the citizens and residents of Antigua
and Barbuda.

That was Damani Tabor, public relations officer of the United
Progressive Party.