The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

TEMPERS flared and chaos erupted during yesterday’s advanced poll as members of the armed forces and others endured the smouldering heat in long queues to cast ballots ahead of the May 10 general election.

In what was hoped to be a smooth process and expected to begin at 8am, voters were angered to learn that instead, the process would begin one hour and 20 minutes later because ballot boxes were said to have arrived behind schedule.

Further frustrating the process, thousands of people from numerous constituencies across the country were directed to the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, despite previous advertising by Parliamentary Registration Department officials that the National Stadium would be used as a second location to accommodate the advanced poll in Nassau.

Many stood in line from as early as 6.30am yesterday and were disheartened by the disorganisation, telling The Tribune they were unable to withstand the sun and jostling from others who stood in lines wrapped around the building, attempting to fight their way inside.

These people were aided by workers who distributed cold water to thirsty and dehydrated voters.

A customs officer stationed in the Family Islands who travelled to New Providence to vote was reportedly told she was not eligible to participate in the early vote and turned away. The customs officer told The Tribune she was assured by the administrator on her island that her documents were received by officials in Nassau. However when she arrived she was told that she would not be allowed to vote because she will not be in the country on Election Day.

Several other people claimed to have had the same experience.

Ugly scene

It was an ugly scene outside of the gymnasium where police officers struggled to control voters. This led to officials having to call in handymen at around 12.15pm to erect barricades in an attempt to organise growing crowds.

Once inside, The Tribune found that the scene in the foyer was not much different from what was happening simultaneously outside. People were tightly pressed against each other as officials shouted various constituencies, to alert those living in the respective areas that they could now enter where votes were being cast.

Amid the mad confusion throughout the day, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage, who has responsibility for elections was not eager to speak to the media on the jumbled process, instead telling reporters he had no comments because he had not been briefed.

However, on a second attempt, Dr Nottage spoke but was tight-lipped on the challenges to the Parliamentary Registration Department.

“There are a lot of voters here. They have to be accountable as efficiently and effectively as you can with the least inconvenience for members of the public,” Dr Nottage told this newspaper while getting inside his SUV.

Asked what was being done to alleviate the issues, Dr Nottage said: “The parliamentary registrar is responsible for the conduct of elections and they are doing what they are doing and we’ll make an evaluation at the end of the day.”

Outrage

There was outrage among members from all political parties over the confusion yesterday.

While incumbent PLP Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller questioned how officials “screwed” this up, former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette said the matter should be laid at the feet of Prime Minister Perry Christie and Dr Nottage. Mr Symonette is the FNM’s candidate for St Anne’s.

He said: “The buck stops at their feet because they should have anticipated this happening and intervened and made sure that this was proper. Mr Christie and Dr Nottage, all their hands are in this and there are people who have had to come in and vote on a protest ballot and lose their constitutional right. It is their fault.

“It should not have happened. I hope the prime minister tows this line. He doesn’t feel the pain that people felt having to sit and stand out here for hours and the prime minister can just walk in?”

FNM Southern Shores candidate Frankie Campbell added that he believed the disorderly process was meant to frustrate voters.

He said: “To be quite honest with you I am not quite sure I understand what’s happening. I recall the most recent referendum that we had, the advanced poll would have been held across the street where they used eight different rooms with three constituencies per room. There was sufficient space for the crowds to fan out and be dealt with in a timely fashion.

“I think what is happening here today in my opinion is organised chaos. It’s intentional. It is not like we are doing this for the first time and we were unsure how to do it. We had two referendums in between the last general election so we had an opportunity to think back on what happened to work out the kinks. This is intentional.

“This is meant to frustrate the persons who were voting in the advanced poll and many of them have left here frustrated because the lines were far too long.”

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Deputy Leader Chris Mortimer also said he was fearful of what Wednesday’s election would look like.

“I fear for what this means, not just for today but next week,” he said. “It seems as if they are woefully unprepared to administrate this election.

In chaos all manner of things can happen. Here we are at almost 9.20am and the voting process has not even started yet. Polls were supposed to be open at 8am, 9.15 they just counting ballots, so people who were standing in lines they are not here they have gone home.

“This is a strike against democracy and we were promised better from the minister with responsibility for elections, to the parliamentary commissioner and this is not a 21st century democracy,” Mr Mortimer said.