Day three of debate on new legislation to govern elections on Thursday
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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, NOVEMBER 27TH 2007 (CUOPM) – Debate on the National Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2007 goes into a third day on Thursday, when Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas is expected to bring the legislative discussion to an end.
The draft legislation had its first reading in the National Assembly on Wednesday October 24th.
At the Second Reading on Monday 5th November Prime Minister Douglas led the debate with legislators from both sides of the House making presentations on that day and on November 13th.
Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Mark Brantley and other members on the opposition benches, Hon. Vance Amory, Hon. Patrice Nisbett, Hon. Shawn Richards and Sen. the Hon. Michael Perkins, have made presentations on the Bill.
On the Government side, Attorney General, Hon. Dennis Merchant, Dr. the Hon. Earl Asim Martin, Hon. Dwyer Astaphan, Hon. Rupert Herbert, Hon. Cedric Liburd, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty and Sen. the Hon. Richard Skerritt have also made presentations.
When the National Assembly resumes on Thursday 29th November, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris and Hon. Sam Condor are expected to make presentations.~~Adz:Right~~
Prime Minister Douglas in wrapping up debate on what is believed to be the longest debate on any single piece of legislation in the history of the Federation’s lawmaking body, is expected to respond to concerns raised by the elected representatives, groups and individuals and provide information on further amendments to the National Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2007.
Leading debate on the Bill, 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.
He said that his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Government is committed to ensuring that the election process is one that is indeed transparent and one that all have confidence in.
When the previous People’s Action Movement (PAM) of the Right Hon. Kennedy Simmonds reformed the legislation governing the holding of elections in the twin-island Federation in November 1984, there was no public discussion outside of the National Assembly. The legislation was given all three readings in one day. Several other pieces of legislation were also on the agenda.
The present 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.
The National Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2007, when passed will amend the National Assembly Elections Act, Cap. 162 in order 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 related matters.
Last year August, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis presented a White Paper in the lawmaking body outlining the process for electoral reform and the preferred steps through which consultation with stakeholders and implementation of electoral reform will result in a legally reformed electoral system.
The White Paper noted that through proper consultation with all social groups, political parties, and the general public, the Government will ensure that these reforms guarantee that future elections in St. Kitts and Nevis continue to be free and fair and in keeping the democratic and constitutional rights, these reforms will not disenfranchise any voter as the reforms seek to introduce a modern and efficient electoral system.
Government had reviewed the report of the ‘Commonwealth Expert Team’ on the general elections of 2004, the Report of the ‘CARICOM Observers’ of the general elections of 2004, and the Report of the ‘Commonwealth Assessment Mission’ of 2005, and based on the commitment given in the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party 2000 Election manifesto, pursued the proposed reforms, leading to the modernisation of the electoral process.
Several committees were established and a comprehensive national consultation was put in motion.
The Electoral Reform Consultative Committee (ERCC) conducted national consultations with all stakeholders around St. Kitts and Nevis and with nationals residing in Anguilla, St. Maarten/St. Martin, the United States Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom about the proposed new electoral framework and sent its report directly to the National Advisory Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee (NAERBC), which after extensive discussions sent its own report to the Parliamentary Constitutional & Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee, which is a National Assembly Sub-Committee.
After considering the report from the Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee, the Report was sent to the Attorney General’s Chamber for forwarding to a drafting expert in Barbados.
Since the First Reading, copies of the National Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2007, were made available for public scrutiny.
