No extra day for special registration

The Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) candidate for South Leeward Jomo Thomas has made a call for an extra day to be given for voter registration, which he says was lost on November 17, when a half-holiday was given for a national football match.

“When the Guatemalans played St Vincent and the Grenadines, we lost one day of registration and if the laws of St Vincent and the Grenadines say there must be 15 days of registration, {{more}}I want to ask that we get that day back.

“We need that day back to ensure that every single person who is not yet registered, every single person who is committed to vote Labour become registered, so that they can cast that vote for Labour,” Thomas said at a rally at the Campden Park playing field on Saturday.

However, supervisor of elections Sylvia Findlay is of the view that the electorate will not be “short-changed” because of the public half holiday.

“My understanding is that it was a public half holiday. I was not sure that it was going to be a problem. It was to my mind clear that the officers could not register on that day, because we publicize registration for 4 to 5:30 (p.m.),” Findllay said, while speaking on a call in programme on NBC radio last Sunday.

“A number of our centres, we would not have access to them. They are school buildings, so that there was a logistical problem there and I felt like every other individual in the State who had the half holiday to support our team at Arnos Vale that the registering officers, their assistants and photographers were given that same privilege,” Findlay stated.

She said that most of these officers continue registration until 7:30 and 8 p.m. each day.

“Their working hours are 4 to 5:30 and they have gone there at 3 p.m. and they have worked until the last person is finished.

“…I am saying that to say that the electorate has not been short changed and as we have been saying today, once you get there for 5:30, you will be taken care of.

“In 2010, I can tell you officers were registering way past 9 p.m. We couldn’t use a lot of the photos, but we did the full registration. Those persons may not have been able to get an ID card for Election Day, so that their record in the polling station is what would have had to be used, but we understand the seriousness of the process and we attempt to facilitate everybody,” Findlay said.

The 15-day registration period ended yesterday, November 23.