Another Politician calls for Supervisor of Elections resignation

By Stanford Conway
Editor-in-Chief-SKNVibes.com

The Hon. Vance Amory – Leader of the CCM

Amory made this call on Friday (Sept. 26) in a recorded statement to the media, in which he noted that the Supervisor of Elections’ response to questions concerning the confirmation process and his failure to address concerns raised about issues at the Nevis Electoral Office indicated that he did understand what his responsibilities were.

“It is not enough nor should it should ever be uttered by the Supervisor of Elections that it is the responsibility of the political parties or the political candidates to ensure that the process is conducted in a fair and honest manner.

“This leads me to question whether the Supervisor of Elections recognises the role he has to play to protect and preserve the integrity and the sanctity of the electoral process…and if he’s incapable of recognising this and can only resort to angry retorts and attacks on anyone who questions or challenges the manner in which the process has been conducted and simply ask for a review of the situation, then it is my humble opinion that the Supervisor of Elections should be recalled and removed from his position, or that he should voluntarily consider resigning his position, as it is clear to the population at large (and certainly the CCM Party) that there is no confidence in his ability or his willingness to carry out his duties in this most critical aspect of our democracy, Amory said.”

Just one day earlier (Sept. 25), the Supervisor of Elections bashed Brantley for suggesting that the registration process in the Federation has been compromised. Brantley was questioning the number of new registrants in his Constituency for the year, which showed that Nevis Nine had recorded the highest amount of new registrants in the entire Federation.  ~~Adz:Right~~

Speaking with WINN FM, Benjamin said, “Each month every party gets the numbers, [for] the amount of persons that have been registered to which they have the ability to raise objections to any name. So PAM, Labour, CCM [they get that information].” He also stated that they knew the figures before he announced them on television and radio earlier in the week.

The Supervisor of Elections further stated that he found it difficult to believe that Brantley was now questioning the figures, “But politicians are who they are.

Whatever sparring going on, as far as I’m concerned, I’m not in that!”

Seemingly dissatisfied with Benjamin’s response, Amory said the numbers in Brantley’s Constituency were an “obvious, serious aberration” and there may have been improprieties in the conduct of the confirmation and registration processes.

“The fact that there has been a record of 360 new registrations in this Constituency, greater than any of the other constituencies which are in St. Kitts or Nevis, and a preponderance of these registrations are in the Prospect and Bath areas in the St. John’s Parish, lead to the conclusion that there may be a deliberate attempt made by persons in the community to register illegally in the area. And I am forced to further conclude that this action may very well be aided and abetted by the inefficiency in the Nevis Electoral Office, and the Office turning a blind eye to improper registration requests.”

The CCM’s Leader declared that his party had called for the removal of the Assistant Registration Officer on numerous occasions, but no one heeded the calls. He also pointed out that letters were sent to the Prime Minister of the Federation and also to Benjamin, but they were met with “negative responses”; adding there are unanswered questions about the Assistant Registration Officer’s professionalism.

Amory  further stated that a large number of citizens was and continues to experience pressure and frustration at the Nevis Electoral Office when they go there to confirm.

“This ought not to be so. The objective of this Electoral Officer must be to facilitate the process following known, expressed regulations and not to frustrate the people through the exercise of discretionary powers, which change according to the circumstances…and this has been the complaint from many persons,” Amory said.

And like Brantley, Amory also called for the removal of the Assistant Registration Officer from the Officer in Nevis.

He said the situation needs to be addressed for the restoration of the integrity of the electoral process, and “if the Supervisor of Elections and the Government do not see that the lack of confidence which was being expressed by so many persons and the callous and cavalier manner in which the Supervisor of Elections has sought to respond to the concerns, this must tell us that we may have a person in a position for which he is not suited”.

Amory further stated that anyone who had listened to Benjamin “as he has attempted, sometimes it appears with contempt, to respond to questions about the electoral process and the conduct thereof, must admit that we have a problem and maybe that one man has to be sacrificed to save the integrity of our democratic process in St. Kitts and Nevis.”