Minister Nigel Carty, in an attempt to mislead the public, has presented seven (7) reasons why citizens should not support the People’s Action Movement in its quest to get a fair electoral system. His reasoning is certainly fallacious and clearly demonstrates the sinister intentions of the Labour Party administration.

Reason number 1:
Minister Carty erroneously argued that the Newton Report stated that participants unanimously agreed to the inclusion of three essential characteristics on an identification card, namely strong security features, a unique ID number, and a photo.  Minister Carty deliberately omitted the point stated in the same Section 3.4(1) of the Newton Report that sixty per cent (60%) of the respondents were in favour of using fingerprints as a security feature to ensure ‘one man, one vote’ and to prevent impersonation.

Reason number 2:
Minister Carty tried very hard to make us believe that the call for fingerprint “had created such disagreement and division during the consultative process.  What nonsense!  There was and is no such disagreement and divisiveness.  The Newton Report did not state that fingerprint was the major source of controversy throughout the consultations.  Again, Minister Carty must stop trying to mislead the public and report the facts.  The truth is, Minister Carty and the Labour Party have a problem when the majority demands something in the best interest of the Nation.  Sixty per cent (60%) of the people have spoken therefore the government must give the people what the majority asked for.

Reason number 3:
Minister Carty argues that the fingerprint system requires excessive resources which are extremely difficult to mobilize.  Minister Carty did not tell us that the Commonwealth has offered technical assistance in this regard.  Other organizations such as the OAS are available sources of funding.

Reason number 4:
Minister Carty argues that the use of fingerprinting technology would increase the voting time for each voter by three minutes and the entire process by fifteen (15) hours.  His argument is not grounded in fact.  Minister Carty could not tell us the name of the individual or company that advised his government about voting times perhaps because there is no such source or the source lacks credibility.  However, I wish to advise Minister Carty that thousands of Kittitians and Nevisians watched the voting process that took place in Jamaica recently.  We saw with our own eyes how speedily voters voted.  A voter took about 15 seconds to vote not three (3) minutes.  In fact, in one constituency with 119 polling stations and over 17,000 voters, the counting of ballots was completed by 10 pm.

Reason number 5:
Minister Carty stated that P.A.M. does not want a fingerprint database.  That is another misleading statement.  The People’s Action Movement supports the use of fingerprints on a dedicated voter identification card.  Therefore, it is obvious that such a system would require a database.  The difference is that the Labour Party government wants to put in place a national identification card so that it can have easy access to people’s information.  We recommend that the voter ID card be used for voting purposes only and that the card be put under the direct and sole control of the Electoral Commission not the Labour Party.

Reason number 6:
Minister Carty states that his government’s legislative and constitutional amendments are based on the unanimous recommendations by the public.  That is another misleading statement.  The public unanimously recommended a voter ID Card with fingerprints but the government does not want to give the public what it asked for.

Reason number 7:
Minister Carty argues that a fingerprint-based electoral system would cost US$4,155,000.  I wonder if Minister Carty is using the Douglas’ colonial accounting method to arrive at such a high figure.  It cost the Antiguan government only US$500,000 to implement a fingerprint-based electoral system. 
 
These facts speak for themselves.  The Labour Party is against the use of fingerprints on the voter ID Card because it wants to continue its practice of electoral fraud.  The thousands of supporters it imports during elections will be allowed to vote anywhere and in any name.  Only fingerprints can stop that practice.  Even Minister Carty has agreed with P.A.M. that a fingerprint system allows instantaneous comparisons to be made on Election Day.
We must therefore march for a fair electoral system.  Fingerprint is still a must!