PM Protects Franchise of Citizens Resident Overseas
~~Adz:Left~~Basseterre, St. Kitts (January 17, 2008): The concerns of citizens who are resident abroad can be allayed regarding whether they will be able to exercise their franchise, if they desire to do so, in the upcoming elections which are constitutionally due by 2009.
Prime Minister Douglas (in addressing the media at a press conference held on Tuesday) said that requiring an enumeration process prior to the elections would mean that several persons resident overseas would not be able to participate in that process thus making it impossible for them to vote in the elections.
Prime Minister emphasized that the re-registration process was designed to give persons the opportunity to confirm existing information without unnecessary complications.
The Hon. Prime Minister who is also the minister responsible for national elections added that efficiency was key in carrying out the electoral process, and that in this case, re-registration would be an effective means of ensuring a transparent process.
He expressed that given the timeframe in which elections are constitutionally due, it would be impractical to expect all citizens resident abroad to return home for the purpose of re-registering.
The Prime Minister said that anyone who did not participate in the re-registration process, which is due by September 30 of 2008, would be required to undertake full registration.
The St. Kitts-Nevis leader commended the commonwealth consultant and the local parliamentary legal counsel who deliberated regarding the concerns raised during the consultative process, and who had to be creative in finding a balanced approach to voters’ list issues, that would give the fairest position within the boundaries of the law.
