Calls for Leroy Benjamin’s removal as Supervisor of Elections
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – EXPRESSING grave concern and serious displeasure with the conduct of the recently-concluded Nevis local elections, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CIC) has called for, among other things, the immediate removal of Leroy Benjamin Sr. from the office of the Supervisor of Elections.
The July 11 Nevis Election was shrouded in controversy that stemmed from the removal of some 200-plus names from the Voters’ List, which led to court hearings and suggestions that fraudulent activities were taking place in an attempt to skew the election in favour of one party.
In a communiqué issued yesterday (July, 13), the CIC said the events which played out prior to, during and after the July 11 Election are testament to the need for wide-ranged electoral reform including the “immediate removal from office of the present Supervisor of Elections”.
“The controversy surrounding the removal of voters from the Voters’ List in Nevis and multiple law suits relating to the voter registration process highlight once again the need for comprehensive electoral reform in St. Kitts & Nevis. The opportunity for such reform was available in 2006 but was not then taken. Controversy will no doubt continue to arise and erode public confidence in the electoral process unless and until the system is radically improved and the opportunities for manipulation removed.”
The CIC described the current electoral system as “seriously flawed” and issued a call to “revisit the system as a matter of priority and on all political parties to co-operate in that effort”.
It further suggested that the Federation’s “struggling economy” has to foot the bill for the “huge sums” which “are being spent on elections…Our democracy continues to be undermined by this inordinate spending.” Thus, the CIC has also expressed the “dire need for campaign finance legislation” to become an integral part of the Federation’s legal framework.
The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF), prior to the July 11 elections, distanced itself from statements made by the Supervisor of Elections who had indicated that its members would be responsible for perusing the Voters’ List on Polling Day and advice persons on their eligibility to vote.
The RSCNPF was commended by the CIC for “refusing to abide by this outrageous and improper directive” and has condemned the Supervisor of Elections' “attempt to involve the police in the vetting of persons presenting themselves to vote.”
