Representatives of political parties, unions, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, professional bodies, youth, non-governmental organisations, students, sports associations and the ordinary man and woman, will gather at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort for the official launching of the St. Kitts and Nevis Electoral Reform Exercise.
Leaders of the political parties or their representatives with seats in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly are down to address the gathering on Wednesday 23rd August at 4:00 P.M.
Political Leader of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Hon. Joseph Parry; Political Leader of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), Hon. Vance Amory; Political Leader of the People's Action Movement (PAM), Mr. Lindsay Grant and the Political Leader of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party, Hon. Dr.
Denzil L. Douglas, have been invited to address the launch, which is expected to be carried live on radio and television and streamed on the internet.
The ceremony will be chaired by the President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Media Workers Association, Mr. Clive Bacchus.
Remarks will also be said by the respective chairman of the Electoral Reform Consultative Committee (ERCC), Mr. Elvis Newton and the National Advisory Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee (NAERBC), Mr. Raphael Archibald.
Representatives of the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat and the Georgetown-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat have been invited to send representatives and speak at the launching of the exercise aimed at formulating through public consultation, a legally reformed electoral system.
The ceremony also includes a prayer by the Christian Council and the exhortation by the Evangelical Association.
On August 1st, St. Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L.
Douglas made public the Electoral Reform White Paper at a sitting of the National assembly.
Government is confident that through proper consultation with all social groups, political parties, and the general public, it will ensure that these reforms guarantee that future elections in St. Kitts and Nevis continue to be free and fair and in keeping with the democratic and Constitutional rights, these reforms will not disenfranchise any voter as the reforms seek to introduce a modern and efficient electoral system.
The reform is expected to lead to a modernized electoral process with the introduction of a National Registration System, leading to the issuance of a "Smart Card" that will among other things assist citizens in accessing their rights and discharging their responsibilities including voting.
~~Adz:Right~~Several committees named in the White Paper on Electoral Reform have representation from the political parties, youth, women, unions, churches and other non-governmental organisations.
The Parliamentary Constitutional & Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee is chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly, Hon. Sam Condor.
Other members are Parliamentary Representative for Constituency # 2, Hon.
Dwyer Astaphan (St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party); Attorney General, Hon. Delano Bart; Leader of the Opposition, Hon Malcolm Guishard (Concerned Citizens Movement); Hon. Patrice Nisbett (Nevis Reformation Party) and Hon. Shawn Richards (People's Action Movement).
This Committee is intended to be an ad hoc Parliamentary Sub-Committee, under the chairmanship of the Leader of Government Business and shall consider issues raised and recommendations made by the National Advisory Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee on the changes and improvements that are necessary to ensure that future elections in the Federation of St.
Kitts and Nevis continue to be free, fair and in-keeping with a contemporary manifestation of a modern and efficient electoral system.
The Committee would be expected to consider and make recommendations on changes to the electoral system that would impact on:
In each instance, the Committee would be expected to indicate clearly whether its recommendations would require adjustments to the Ordinary Laws, or Constitution of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis and will report to Parliament and its recommendations will be passed to the Office of the Attorney General, in anticipation of a package of legislation that would express the Committee's intentions.
The National Advisory Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee is chaired by Mr. Raphael Archibald, MBE. Other members will come from the St. Kitts Christian Council, the St. Kitts Evangelical Association, the Nevis Evangelical Association, the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades & Labour Union, the St.
Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the St. Kitts Teachers Union, the St. Kitts and Nevis Bar Association, the Director of Youth and the Parliamentary Political Parties
the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party, the Concerned Citizens Movement, the People's Action Movement and the Nevis Reformation Party.
This committee would receive the report from the Electoral Reform Consultative Committee and this report will form the basis of its work.
This committee would be expected to draw on its own expertise to elucidate the issues raised in public consultations and determine whether recommendations represent a practical response to the issues of concern and in cases where no recommendations have been made it would be expected to make recommendations. This committee is expected to present to the Parliamentary Constitutional & Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee recommendations on how best the proposed reforms can be approached along with the foregoing in a detailed report.
In instances where this committee considers it necessary, it may commission research or call for experts to present information that would help elucidate issues that have been presented to it.
The Electoral Reform Consultative Committee is chaired by Mr. Elvis Newton and comprises Mr. Clement "Bouncin" Williams, Mr. Clifford Thomas, Mr.
Douglas Wattley, Mr. Elvin Bailey, Mr. Clive Bacchus and Ms. Mutryce Williams and is expected to solicit the views of the general public to facilitate the broadest possible consultation.
This Committee is expected to convene public meetings throughout the Federation and at these sessions it would invite persons to express concerns they might have relating to the electoral system.
This Committee will also receive recommendations relating to modifications that people believe would make the system function better and it should also promote discussion on the type of electoral system that would be preferred by citizens who have concerns.
To establish the groundwork for receiving information, this Committee should present to the public the proposed framework for electoral reform.This Committee is expected to report its findings to the National Advisory Electoral Reform and oundaries Committee and this report should consolidate the main issues and recommendations raised by the public.
The still to be named Boundaries Technical Committee will consist of a Surveyor, demographer, statistician and an economist and will conduct the necessary demographic and survey work to ensure that the constituencies are equitable as possible. It will advise the Constituency Boundaries Commission on all matters of re-alignment, regulate its own activities and choose its chairman.