By-election on the cards for St John

Governor General Sir Clifford Husbands now has in his hands the address requesting the writ for a by-election to be called in St John.
This was confirmed yesterday by Clerk of Parliament Pedro Eastmond, who said the address was sent on Wednesday.
He explained this was the procedure that would obtain following the death of  Prime Minister David Thompson, who was the parliamentary representative of St John for the last 23 years.
Eastmond said the address to the Governor General from the House of Assembly requests him to issue a writ for a by-election to be called to fill the vacancy created following Thompson’s death on October 23.
According to the Constitution of Barbados, 90 days must elapse after a seat is vacated and a by-election is called.
Section 47, Subsection (2) of the Constitution of Barbados states: “Wherever any person vacates his seat as a member of the House of Assembly for any other reason other than a dissolution of Parliament, the Governor General shall issue a writ for the election of a member to fill the vacancy returnable within ninety days from the occurrence of the vacancy.”
Eastmond said the 90 day count starts on the day of Thompson’s death.
It means that a by-election has to be called by January 21, 2011, the day Barbados celebrates Errol Barrow Day. Barrow, a national hero, represented the people of St John from 1958 until 1987 when he died in office.
The last by-election in Barbados was in 2001 when Cynthia Forde became the new MP for St Thomas after representative Sir David Simmons was named Chief Justice. (CM)