The swearing-in of Randy Baltimore, the newly elected parliamentary representative for St. Philip's North, has been deferred to next Friday following the filing of an election petition in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. According to Antigua.news, the petition challenges the outcome of last Monday's by-election on the grounds that Baltimore was not legally qualified to contest the seat.
The petition was filed on March 20 by UPP Mobilisation Officer George Wehner, who argues that Baltimore remained a public officer at the time of his nomination, rendering him ineligible to stand. The filing claims that correspondence from the Public Service Commission dated March 19 confirmed that Baltimore had submitted a resignation letter intended to take effect on February 20, but that the resignation was found defective under Civil Service Regulation No. 28(1), which requires at least three months' notice.
According to the petition, the Commission instead terminated Baltimore's employment on March 9. Wehner contends that because Baltimore was allegedly still a public officer on Nomination Day, his inclusion on the ballot was unlawful and the declared result invalid.
The case mirrors a similar lawsuit filed in 2023 against United Progressive Party MP for St. Mary's South, Kelvin "Shugy" Simon, following the January 2023 general election. In that instance, the ABLP filed a petition claiming Simon was ineligible because he remained a civil servant at the time of his nomination. Simon's formal resignation to the Public Service Commission came eight days after his nomination, whereas Baltimore's resignation predated his nomination by five days — though the current petition alleges it was still procedurally void under the three-month notice requirement. That earlier case was ultimately dismissed by the High Court after Simon resigned as MP before the matter was fully heard, rendering it moot.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne, speaking on his Browne and Browne Show on Saturday, confirmed the deferral but dismissed the petition outright. "It is a frivolous litigation and that is going nowhere," Browne said, urging the public not to pay attention to it.
Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan, who has represented the government in numerous constitutional matters, also characterised the petition as frivolous and vexatious. Astaphan stated that his pre-nomination position had been that whether a public servant's resignation was accepted rested with the employer, not any external body, though he declined to elaborate further on the legal response being prepared.
Baltimore, a former customs officer with nearly 30 years of service, won the March 16 by-election with 924 votes — approximately 69% of ballots cast — defeating United Progressive Party candidate Alex Browne, who received 407 votes. He carried all seven ballot boxes, recording his widest margins in Willikies and Newfield.
The by-election was triggered by the resignation and retirement of Sir Robin Yearwood on February 18, the 50th anniversary of his first election to the seat. Until his departure, Sir Robin held the distinction of being the longest-serving legislator in the Caribbean and the Commonwealth, having been returned to Parliament by the voters of St. Philip's North on 11 consecutive occasions.
Prime Minister Browne confirmed that Baltimore's swearing-in will proceed as scheduled on Friday.
