Basseterre, St Kitts, April 14, 2020 – Political Leader of the St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), The Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas has stated that if people can line up to shop at supermarkets and pharmacies under COVID-19 conditions, they can also line up to vote in the next general elections while observing social distancing.
His remarks came in response to a statement by Attorney General Sen the Hon Vincent Byron Jr, that the COVID-19 crisis should place general elections “on the back burner.”
“If our people can line up to shop for groceries, go to the pharmacy and to the bank, they can line up to vote in exercise of their democratic freedoms. Our people love our democratic freedoms just as much as they love food to eat, medicine to make them well and money in the bank,” said Dr Douglas.
The former prime minister noted that certain changes would need to be made to accommodate social distancing at polling stations, including more poll clerks, early voting provisions for essential workers, and potentially extending voting over multiple days.