Has E&B Commission Fulfilled Obligations Under Redistricting Consent Order?

The defense represented by Assistant Solicitor General, Samantha Matute, argued that the Elections and Boundaries Commission has fulfilled its obligations under the 2022 Redistricting Consent Order. Matute contended that the commission filed recommendations and proposals to the National Assembly within the time they agreed to in the consent order. Here is how Saldivar responded.

 

Arthur Saldivar, Attorney-At-Law

“There is one way of making sure. We understand they may feel that is the case so where the CPR says both parties must deal with cases justly, by virtue of the fact that elections and boundaries is a functionary of the executive, you look at the schedule and deal with the schedule and that will provide the impetus for parliament to do what it can do and if it cannot do anything with that then they need to go back. Parliamentarian who already made public their assessment of it, and as you have heard, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Espat, Briceno, they have all pronounced on it. Parliament seems to have no interest in moving it forward because they themselves already appreciate that it is not worthy of consideration so they are content to keep us in a holding pattern which will create a constitutional crisis going forward. So at this point the cat has to be belled and belling the cat in this case is within the purview and authority of the court.”

 

Saldivar stressed the urgency of the matter to the court. A determination will be made at a later date.