Grant’s counters PM’s statements
ByTerresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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| Leader of the Opposition, People's Action Movement, Mr. Lindsay Grant |
Basseterre, St. Kitts: Leader of the People’s Action Movement (PAM) Lindsay Grant is countering comments made by Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas, citing that information relative to the ongoing “confirmation” process is not as forthcoming as he purports.
Douglas, in relation to the availability of information, explained that for the duration of the “confirmation process”, on a monthly basis, a list will be provided to the political parties for their perusal at which point objections can be made. He also explained that persons seeking an audience with senior officials at the Electoral Office can simply make a request.
Grant, in an interview with SKNVibes.com, said that the availability of information only on a monthly basis is unacceptable, as all political parties will need to, as often as the need arrives, revisit information and make objections.
“I believe people of this country demand fairness in the process of reform and fairness comes with access to information, public information which should be readily available to the citizens of this country.
The way in which the government is operating and the office of the Electoral Office is operating, it appears that the government has something to hide and the People’s Action Movement has been advocating all along that there is need for any political party to have access to the information; not as the Prime Minister now says, ‘on a monthly basis’ but we are demanding the information be provided to us on a daily basis as has been customary under the old law.
The reason for having this information and databases is because the information we have must be in a timely manner in order for us to do our work as a political party; the purpose being, if these names are coming out on a list, according to the Prime Minister, political parties will have an opportunity to those persons who are reconfirming and therefore it is needed in a timely manner,” Grant said. ~~Adz:Right~~
Over the past week, executive members of the PAM have gone to the Electoral Office seeking an audience with the Supervisor of Elections but reportedly to no avail. Grant told SKNVibes that the PAM Executive members resorted to going to the electoral office only after several verbal and one written attempt seeking a meeting with electoral office senior officials went unanswered.
“We have on numerous occasions, verbally asked Mr. Oliver Knight for a meeting to discuss this matter in terms of the way forward. Additionally, we have written to the Supervisor of Elections, Mr. Leroy Benjamin, copied to every single member of the Electoral Commission seeking an audience with them. It has been close to two weeks since that letter has been penned and they have not even had the decency or the courtesy to respond to that letter seeking a meeting so what is the PM talking about?” he questioned.
Grant said that the PAM will continue to be persistent in requesting information until it is forthcoming.
