A High Court ruling declining to block the swearing-in of St. Philip's North MP-elect Randy Baltimore does not resolve the broader question of his eligibility, attorney Sherfield Bowen said Thursday. According to Antigua News Room, Bowen stressed that the substantive case will be heard and decided in the coming weeks.
Bowen explained that the court considered two separate applications: a petition seeking Baltimore's disqualification as a Member of Parliament, and an injunction to prevent his swearing-in. Only the injunction was addressed at this stage, and it was refused.
The court declined to grant the injunction because of an unresolved dispute over the effective date of Baltimore's separation from the public service — a matter requiring full examination at trial, Bowen said.
The case centres on whether Baltimore was still a public officer on Nomination Day, February 25, 2026, which would disqualify him under the Constitution. Bowen noted that Baltimore identified himself as a customs officer on his nomination form, and that designation was reflected on the ballot. He argued that eligibility is determined at the time of nomination.
Bowen said Baltimore submitted a resignation letter dated February 18, 2026, but that public service rules require 90 days' notice. The Public Service Commission subsequently deemed the resignation invalid and instead terminated Baltimore's employment on March 9.
A separate communication from the Establishment Division, however, indicated the termination took effect on February 19 — a discrepancy that the court must resolve. Bowen said this conflict in the evidence was a key reason the court opted not to intervene at the injunction stage.
The main eligibility challenge remains active and will be heard on an expedited basis, with a decision expected before April 27. Bowen said the petitioners intend to demonstrate that Baltimore was still a public officer on Nomination Day and was therefore ineligible to stand for election.
