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St. Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Denziul L. Douglas at Tuesday's Press Conference. (Photo by Erasmus Williams) |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JANUARY 26TH 2005 (CUOPM) St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas said Tuesday his Labour Party Administration has taken up an offer from the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat to reform the Federations electoral system.
Observer teams from the Commonwealth and the CARICOM Secretariat at the invitation of the Douglas Administration monitored the October 25th 2004 General Elections and vowed to the integrity of the electoral system. Both groups however observed shortcomings which political parties were aware of before as a result of the Election Laws enacted in 1984 and which are in operation.
Prime Minister Douglas at a Press Conference said the Commonwealth Secretariat in making its observations has expressed a willingness to help improve the system.
My government has taken up the offer of the Commonwealth Secretariat and very shortly we expect assistance in the conducting of a situation analysis to inform the government on the way forward, Dr. Douglas told reporters.
He said if further assistance of the Commonwealth is required, the Federal Government will receive such assistance through the Commonwealth Fund For Technical Cooperation (CFTC).
We would hope that we would be able in a very short time to complete the exercise of reforming the electoral system and the electoral laws here in St. Kitts and Nevis, said Prime Minister Douglas.
The St. Kitts and Nevis leader also reiterated his governments commitment to Constitutional Reform.
For us Constitutional Reform would speak to not only identification, but also equity in representation and we will address comprehensively the entire system, which will involve a look at the Electoral Boundaries, complete re-registration of our voters and proper identification of voters in the future, said Prime Minister Douglas.
Dr. Douglas said his Government is working towards a timetable once the Commonwealth situation team completes its initial work.
