" I call on the Political Leader of the People's Action Movement, Mr.

Lindsay Grant to participate in the process of "Advancing Electoral Reform through Consultation," said Dr. Douglas.

Government on Thursday said it has answered all correspondence received from the People's Action  Movement on the issue of electoral reform and has branded as "totally false and misleading" a statement issued by the General Secretary of the People's Action Movement (PAM), Mr. Selwyn (Rusty) Liburd, that letters it sent to the government on the issue went unanswered.

For the record:

On May 8th 2006, the Chief Secretary, Mr. Joseph Edmeade wrote to the PAM General Secretary, Mr. Selwyn Liburd, informing him that the Government is making preparations to commence the process of Electoral Reform and requested the PAM to nominate a representative to serve on the National Advisory Electoral Reform Committee. The Terms of Reference of this Committee was attached.

On May 30th 2006, the PAM General Secretary responded requesting information on the difference between the National Advisory Electoral Committee and the Consultative Committee and the relationship with these committees and also the Electoral Commission.

On June 9th 2006, the Chief Secretary, responding to the PAM letter of May 30th 2006, reminded the General Secretary, Mr. Liburd, that the Hon. Prime Minister had on May 25th moved a resolution in the National Assembly, which outlined the framework of the Reform Process and informed him that the Government will shortly circulate a Draft White Paper upon which the Consultative Committee would engage the general public.

The Chief Secretary informed the PAM General Secretary that the National Advisory Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee is a broad base committee consisting of the representatives from the Christian Council, the Evangelical Associations, the St. Kitts & Nevis Chamber of Industry & Commerce, the St. Kitts Teacher's Union, the St. Kitts-Nevis Bar Association, the Department of Youth and representatives from the four political parties represented in the National Assembly.

The Chief Secretary indicated that the other Political Parties have named their representatives and "the nomination of the PAM is needed as the process would commence shortly."

In response to that letter of June 9th, the PAM's Mr. Liburd on July 12th, wrote that the process of Electoral Reform should begin and end with the Consultative Committee and not several committees as being suggested by the government.

~~Adz:Right~~"Please be informed that until the People's Action Movement is satisfied with the parameters surrounding the makeup, mandate and guidelines of Consultative Committee as recommended by the Commonwealth Assessment Mission, we cannot in good conscience nominate anyone to this committee,"

wrote Mr. Liburd.

In his response on July 27th, the Chief Secretary indicated that the "process of electoral reform cannot begin and end with one committee. You will see that the recommendations made by the Commonwealth Observer

(Assessment) Mission call for a programme of comprehensive reforms.

"You would also note that the basis of their recommendations is that there be a constitutional amendment to establish an Electoral and Boundaries Commission to be selected on criteria which require wide consultation and to advise Parliament on issues it identified," wrote the Chief Secretary.

The Chief Secretary pointed out that there is currently "no such creature in our Constitution."

"What we now have is an Electoral Commission which does not have the powers suggested in the recommendations. Its function is to supervise the Supervisor of Elections in the performance of his constitutional duties.

Then there is the Constituency Boundaries Commission whose only function is to make recommendations on the delineation of constituency boundaries," said the Chief Secretary.

He also noted that the Government has sought within the spirit of the recommendations to achieve the same objective through a system of committees and that the National Advisory Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee is one of the committees that will carry out some of the functions suggested by the Assessment Mission.

"With regard to the involvement of political parties you will note that the Commonwealth Assessment Mission recommended wider consultation especially with major political parties which may not be represented in Parliament. The Government has addressed that matter by including all parties that enjoy the support of a significant portion of the voters in the country," said the Chief Secretary, who added that in the absence of a constitutional amendment it is impossible to follow the process by the letter as outlined by the Observer Mission.

"The Government will not abdicate its responsibility and gives the assurance that the process of electoral reform will be conducted in a transparent, impartial and fair manner," the Chief Secretary wrote to the PAM General Secretary.

"Your party is therefore invited once again to play its full role in the process," Mr. Edmeade said to the PAM General Secretary.

Despite the submission of the Terms of Reference, the various correspondences and the laying on the Table of the White Paper, which contains the functions and responsibilities of the Committees, in the National Assembly on August 1st, the PAM General Secretary in a letter to the Chief Secretary on 3rd August, 2006, said he was still seeking "clarification on the make up, function and responsibilities of the committees appointed by the Government to implement Electoral Reform."

"We have not yet received a satisfactory explanation to our inquiries. As a result the People's Action Movement cannot at this time nominate a representative to this committee until there is clarification of our concerns," said the PAM General Secretary.

In response on August 4th, the Chief Secretary advised PAM that the St.

Kitts and Nevis Electoral Reform White Paper was laid on the Table of the House of Assembly on 1st August 2006 by the Honourable Prime Minister during a meeting of Parliament.

"I am certain that this document which is now a public document will bring you the clarification which you have sought and which has been given to you in my previous letters," wrote the Chief Secretary.

The People's Action Movement  lone Parliamentary Representative, Hon. Shawn Richards, was absent from the National Assembly Meeting of August 1st 2006 and no representative of the PAM showed up to attend the August 4th Meeting of the National Advisory Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee, which was attended by several stakeholders including representatives of the Concerned Citizens Movement, the Nevis Reformation Party and the St.

Kitts-Nevis Labour party.

The Government reiterates its commitment to a transparent non-political process, evidenced by the framework outlined by the Hon. Prime Minister.

Government  is disappointed with what appears to be an attempt to politicse the process.

Prime Minister Douglas commended all the stakeholders who have accepted the opportunity to be a part of this democratic process.