Court rules Watt's reinstatement

A year after Sir Gerald Watt was removed as Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission, ABEC, the High Court ruled Wednesday that the action was illegal and ordered his reinstatement.

Justice Jennifer Remy deemed the decision of Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer to ask Governor General Dame Louise Lake Tack to remove Sir Gerald from office as a breach of the Representation of the People Act.

In January 2010 Prime Minister Spencer wrote a letter to Sir Gerald indicating that he had lost confidence in him as chairman of the Electoral Commission.

Sir Gerald and his deputy; Nathaniel James, were subsequently suspended and later faced a tribunal of three regional jurists which probed their management of the March 12, 2009 general elections.