Jamaican Attorney Weighs in on ADF National Convention

Doctor Christopher Malcolm was also asked to share his thoughts on the legitimacy of the Alliance of Democracy’s October 20th national convention in relation to the U.D.P.’s constitution. Here’s what he had to say.

 

Dr. Christopher Malcolm, Attorney – At- Law

“There is in fact provision under the constitution that two thirds of the delegates can in fact petition for their to be a national convention but even when you petition the petition has to go through appropriate steps, including for their to be propriety you need to ensure those persons who claim to be delegates are actually delegates. For that reason the stewardship of the party must at all times, the constitution requires that they maintain a record of delegates to ensure propriety because what you don’t want is for somebody to come across the border from Guatemala to having nothing to do with Belize, having nothing to do with a political party, turns up as a delegate and vote. The point is you need to ensure that an unincorporated or any other association that is set up is properly run and the first thing you have to ask is, what does the constitution say. So I am accepting there is no limit on the possibility of other conventions being held on petition and in other instance, in fact the constitution instead also says you can have in the case of an emergency but it says what constitutes and emergency and how must declare an emergency. But, what ever happens your starting point must be what does the constitution say by way of process and was the proper process followed. Nobody is saying, certainly I can’t, that holding a convention outside of the two year process is bad from the beginning. The question is that were the proper process engaged and in a manner they were suppose to be engaged.”