BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 4th October 2019) – “I would like to report that we have recently initiated court action against the supervisor of elections and the electoral office in these matters.”
So said Deputy Leader of the Opposition St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), Marcella Liburd, at the party’s monthly press conference on Wednesday 2nd October at the Galaxy on Port Zante.
She alleged that “The supervisor of elections Mr. Elvin Bailey has been conspiring with others not just to remove the names of persons who have been registered for many years but the names of newly registered voters on a monthly basis; persons in Constituency number four who have been registered as first time voters have had their names removed by the electoral office without due process.
Liburd who is the Parliamentary Representative of Constituency Two (Central Basseterre) claimed that “In Constituency number two, we have seen similar efforts.”
The SKNLP top official said the evidence collected in the matter so far is overwhelming.
“The evidence we have collected so far is overwhelming and it is truly appalling to see flagrant illegalities and corrupt practices taking place at the electoral office. We will intensify or push back through more court action and we will take all the necessary steps to bring the subversive actions of the electoral office to light.”
She added: “The Supervisor of Elections continues to play a very dangerous game. We have written to the supervisor of elections requesting in accordance with the law to receive and review copies of the records of objections… registration of voters. These letters were written on June this year and up to date we have not received so much as a response to our requests. We have had nothing but deliberately misleading statements and non-answers from the electoral office on this very serious subject matter.”
Liburd bashed the government for not making good on the good governance promised.
“It is most disappointing and indeed appalling that a government that campaigned on a platform on good governance including electoral reform has become guilty of committing the most outrageous offences against the principles and tenants of good governance. At the heart and soul of the system of democracy and the system of governance, is an electoral system. The mandate to govern emanates from the results of free and fair elections in which all of our citizens are entitled to vote are given an opportunity to elect a government of their choice. Without free and fair elections, government is not legitimate, without free and fair elections, the right to pass laws and make policies to govern our country does not exist.
She continued: “Over the last four and a half years the Timothy Harris – led regime has made a mockery of our electoral system but even more damning than that, the evidence of corruption and fraud in the electoral office continue to mount. We are now at a stage after four and a half years of this Harris regime where the legitimacy of our elections is at stake. The stability of our system of government is being seriously threatened and urgent action is required to prevent our country from falling into chaos, disorder and complete dictatorship. Over the last four and half years we have witnessed complete politicisation and corruption of the electoral office.”