St Kitts asks court for time to respond to Dr Denzil Douglas Affidavits in Dominica Passport case

​The Government of St Kitts asked the court on Monday, for time to respond to affidavits from Opposition Leader Dr Denzil Douglas’ legal team, in a matter involving Douglas and his alleged possession of a Dominica diplomatic passport. The matter has been adjourned to April. Douglas is accused of having a diplomatic passport from Dominica which is against the laws of St Kitts & Nevis.
 
Outside the courthouse, Douglas described the request from the government side as ‘ridiculous’, saying, they brought the case, they said they were ready to have a trial, now they are asking not for two weeks, but for three weeks, to file an expert witness on the laws of Dominica, but they said when they filed their claim, that the court was competent enough to make the determination on the laws of Dominica”.
 
He added, “Why do you now want an expert witness to interpret Dominican laws? We have said if you want expert witnesses, we, too, must have time in order to find expert witness.”
 
According to reports Douglas allegedly has a diplomatic passport number DP 0000462 issued by Dominica, which recorded him as being a citizen of the island. The reports say the passport is valid until July 29, 2020.
 
The government insists that since Douglas holds such a passport, it “disqualifies from being elected as a member of the National Assembly, and was accordingly required to vacate his seat in the National Assembly by reason of his becoming a person who, by virtue of his own act in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Dominica, is under an acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state, namely, the said Commonwealth of Dominica.”