By Matthew Thomas
According to the legal definition, sub judice is a Latin term meaning “under judgment” by a court. It refers to an active legal case that is currently being evaluated by a judge or jury and has not yet been resolved.
In many jurisdictions (particularly in Commonwealth countries), the sub judice rule restricts public commentary, media coverage, or legislative debate on an active case.
Parliament to meet on Thursday, July 2, 2026.
According to the order paper, the following two bills are on the agenda:
- THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE ACT (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2026, SECTION 35.
- THE CONSTITUTION OF ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2026, SECTION 26
Both bills are to be made retroactive to 1979.
According to both petitioners, Carlos Williams of the Northern Grenadines constituency and Luke Browne, of East Kingstown constituency, both Godwin Friday and Fitzgerald Bramble have violated section 26(1)(a) of the Constitution and section 35 (1)(a) of the Representation of the People Act.
Section 26 (1) No person shall be qualified to be elected or appointed as a Representative or Senator (hereinafter in this section referred to as a member) if he-
- Is by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.
Section (35)(1) No person shall be qualified to be elected or appointed as a Representative or Senator(hereinafter in this section referred to as a member) if he
- Is by his own act, under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.
Conclusion:
If, therefore, we are to follow the court’s procedure in accepting the term sub judice, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a Commonwealth nation, how can we sit idly and allow Parliament to operate as though it were not democratically elected, but instead depict the action as that of a coup d’état?
Matthew Thomas — a retired pharmacist and social activist
Contact: [email protected] or tel. 784 457 2067
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