By Robert Andre Emmanuel
The government has named its three representatives to serve on the Constituencies Boundaries Commission, making a complete reversal of an earlier announcement that it had appointed three politicians to the Commission which was clearly a violation of the Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda.
In a communication to Governor General Sir Rodney Williams, Prime Minister Gaston Browne identified Danley Phillip as Chairman, and Claire Chastanet and Billy Benjamin as members of the Boundaries Commission, effective January 18.
During yesterday’s post-Cabinet press briefing, the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ambassador Lionel Hurst said that Member of Parliament (MP) Maria Browne, MP Daryll Matthew, and Senator Michael Joseph will represent the government on the commission.
However, the appointment of these three politicians would have been in violation of the Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda.

According to Section 63(2) of the Constitution, a person shall not be named to the “Constituencies Boundaries Commission if he is a Senator, a member of the House or a public officer”.
Furthermore, the suggestion by Hurst that St John’s Rural West is one of the constituencies being reviewed, brought the discrepancy into increased focus following the earlier naming of Senator Michael Joseph.
Currently represented by Opposition MP Richard Lewis, Senator Michael Joseph was selected by the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party as its candidate to try and unseat Lewis in a future general election—which would have raised significant questions about conflicts of interest in the boundary review process.
When originally questioned about the ministerial composition of the appointments, Hurst claimed that the parliamentarians are “the people who are most likely to be affected” by the boundary changes.
Under the Constitution, the Governor General must also appoint a member to the Boundaries Commission on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition.
The Commission is directed by the Constituencies Boundaries Commission Guidance Act, which requires constituencies to contain “nearly equal numbers of inhabitants” while considering factors such as population density, adequate representation of rural areas, and geographical features.
Additionally, the Commission must also respect existing town and village boundaries, particularly in residential areas.
With the government seeking to conduct the Population and Housing Census this year, changes made to the boundaries of constituencies — based on the results of the census — could be forthcoming.
The timing of this announcement also comes two years after the 2023 General Elections and immediately following the by-election in the St Peter constituency.
The Constituencies Boundaries Commission is required to make reports “not less than two or more than five years after the date when the last such report was submitted” per Section 64(2) of the Constitution.
The Commission is also legally required to hold consultations with interested parties and obtain credible data to assist in its deliberations, designed to ensure transparency and public participation in the boundary-setting process.
Once the Commission completes its review, it submits recommendations to the Speaker of the House. The Prime Minister must then lay before the House a draft order giving effect to the recommendations, with or without modifications.
This draft order requires parliamentary approval before implementation.