Debate on new electoral legislation continues next Tuesday in the National Assembly
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| St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas(standing) debating the National Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2007 |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, NOVEMBER 8TH 2007 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas is expected to wind up debate on the National Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2007 next week Tuesday when debate on the important legislation continues.
Leading debate on the Bill last Monday, Prime Minister Douglas said it is important in the country’s democracy that the process of electing a government into office is one that should ensure that the electorate, the election officials and all the stakeholders are confident that the outcome fairly and transparently expresses the will of the majority of the nationals, citizens and residents of the twin-island Federation.
“My Government is committed to ensuring that our election process is one that is indeed transparent and one that all have confidence in. My Government is also committed to including the citizens of this Federation in any changes to be made to the Legislation on elections because we promised the people of this Federation that we would provide inclusive and transparent governance,” said Prime Minister Douglas.
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| The opposition benches in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly |
Dr. Douglas noted that the Bill before the House is the culmination of the process that started in August 2006 with the tabling and passing by the National Assembly of the Resolution on the policy on electoral reform and laying in the National Assembly of the St. Kitts and Nevis Electoral Reform White Paper.
He noted that the Bill which is presently before the House was predicated by several internal factors and not just the issues which were raised by the Commonwealth Assessment Team but also concerns from the citizens and interest groups of the Federation.
Prime Minister Douglas noted that over the years there have been claims and counterclaims about the authenticity of election results and this has suggested a need for an evaluation and renewal of the entire process.
“We have had over the years, legal challenges to various aspects of the electoral system including the registration process and the outcome in certain constituencies. There was also the expressed general commitment of the political parties in the need for electoral reform in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Unfortunately Madam Speaker, some political parties chose to not be a part of the process which we undertook. They chose instead to make unhelpful and vindictive comments from the sidelines. We cannot be deterred Madam Speaker by such detractors. We have a mandate from the people of this Federation and we will carry out that mandate as we are doing here today,” Dr. Douglas told the lawmaking body.
~~Adz:Left~~ He noted that with the concerns raised by the Commonwealth Assessment Team in 2005, the legal challenges in the High Court to some results in previous general elections and a recognition by all the political parties in St. Kitts and Nevis that there is a need for reform and his own commitment to electoral reform, led to the introduction of the National Assembly Elections
(Amendment) Bill, 2007.
Prime Minister Douglas pointed out that some aspects of the National Assembly Elections Act, such as continuous registration for voters and monthly lists should be retained.
He said that the electoral reform process that was embarked upon to produce this Bill was inclusive, open and transparent and again outlined the process that his Government undertook to ensure that a consultative and inclusive electoral reform process would be followed.
He reiterated that the object of the Bill is to amend the National Assembly Elections Act, Chapter 162 to prescribe and clarify the qualifications relating to residence or domicile in Saint Christopher and Nevis by expressly setting out the categories of persons who may qualify to be registered as a voter for the purpose of electing a Representative in a constituency; to make new provision for the issuance of national identification cards to be used for election purposes; and to provide for other related matters.
“The Bill addresses the issue of qualification for a voter. It clearly sets out in Clause 4 the qualification of three broad categories of voters,namely:
(i) citizens of St. Christopher and Nevis, 18 years old and over who are ordinarily resident in St. Christopher and Nevis; (ii) citizens of St. Christopher and Nevis, 18 years old and over who are resident overseas; and
(iii) Commonwealth citizens with the prescribed period of ordinary residence in St. Christopher and Nevis,” said Prime Minister Douglas.
“The Bill Madam Speaker will clarify the concepts of ‘domicile’ and ‘residence’. This is found, Madam Speaker, in Clause 5 of the Bill. The Hon. Attorney General will shed more light on these matters, Madam Speaker.
However, the amendments were done on the premise that my Government does not want to disenfranchise anyone, either here or overseas. Thus in crafting the Bill, the enfranchisement of both resident and overseas based nationals was safeguarded.
The Bill will address matters of the voter’s lists. We have agreed that those voters who are presently on the list must undergo a process of re-registration so as to be issued with a national identification card. This is provided for in Clauses 5 and 7 of the Bill, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, amendments are being drafted to amend the Election Registration Regulations in order to outline the procedure by which the national identification card will be issued,” said Dr. Douglas.
He said that the national identification card is an important and landmark improvement over the present system and will contain several features.
“It will contain Madam Speaker, the full name of the cardholder, the gender of the holder, the date of birth of the holder, the date of issue and expiry of the card, the citizenship status of the holder, the signature of the holder, a colour photograph of the holder and ghost and holographic security features,” said the Prime Minister.
~~Adz:Right~~He said that the Government is making a major financial investment in the development of the new national identification system. Therefore it was considered prudent and cost effective to streamline and include components of the Civil Registry activity into the new programme. It is envisaged that the issuance of birth, death and marriage certificates will also fall under the new system.
“Therefore, it is intended that the national identification card will not just be used for voting purposes. Rather, it is also the intention that the card will be used for civil registration and general identification purposes and also for use in accessing government services. Hon. Speaker, the issuance of the national identification card will enable us to move from the problems we currently have of cleaning up the voters’ list,” said Dr. Douglas, who added:
“As it will also be linked with the Civil Registry, it will also help in bringing persons who have attained the age of voting into the electoral process automatically. Therefore the national identification card database will be constantly updated.”
In concluding, his presentation, Prime Minister Douglas reminded the nation again that when his Government came into office it promised open transparent governance in order to advance democracy.
“No one can accuse or fault this Government of not being open honest in its dealings. Madam Speaker, I promised this country honest, consultative, inclusive, sincere leadership and I still believe that this party, the Labour Party is the only one that will be able to deliver these promises,” said Dr. Douglas.
He said that the Electoral Reform Process which is being undertaken is an attempt to ensure that the people get the Government they deserve.
“We have not repealed the Act. We are, Madam Speaker, modifying the law and improving it in order to advance our democratic way of life. Hon. Speaker, other parties may not like certain things in the legislation because they think they have the divine right to rule this country. But this is not about any political party it is about the will of the people of this Federation,” said the St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister.
Both government and opposition members of the lawmaking body have made presentations and it is likely that some further amendments to the draft legislation are likely as the debate continues.
