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| Raphael Archibald |
Basseterre, St. Kitts (July 12, 2007): The work of the National Advisory Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee (NAERBC) is almost complete but the committee chairman Raphael Archibald said it will be a bitter sweet moment.
On Tuesday’s edition of SKNIS’ radio programme Perspectives, Mr. Archibald responded with mixed emotions when asked about the work of his committee. He indicated that the work was tiresome but was worth the effort.
“Oh you can say that again. I would do it all over again,” he stressed. “It was indeed a pleasure working on the Electoral Reform Process and with the men and women of my committee. It has been an enlightening process for me thus far and I believe there is more yet to learn.”
The final duty of Archibald’s committee, which comprises 11 individuals from a broad cross-section of stakeholder organizations, will end when it presents its recommendations on the report from the Boundaries Technical Committee to the Constituency Boundaries Commission.
This will be added to the report of recommendations from the NAERBC – handed over on July 3 – based on the document produced by the Electoral Reform Consultative Committee (ERCC).
Chairman Archibald revealed that the committee remained dedicated to the task at hand. He told SKNIS how an attempt by a local newspaper to disrupt the process by printing a leaked report affected the deliberations.
“I think the leak was really a very bad thing to do,” he noted. “I said, and the committee agreed that the report from the ERCC would not be made public while we were deliberating it. … but our committee went on with its work and we think we did a very good job.”
The chairman stressed that his role in the process will continue after his tenure ends. ~~Adz:Right~~
“My work as a chairman of a committee will be over but as an individual … I am committed to see electoral reform realized in this country and I will be willing to assist where I can,” he stated.
