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Posted: Wednesday 1 October, 2008 at 12:30 PM

    Cabinet Secretary refutes CCM’s irregularities claim
    Amory says end of confirmation does not stop routine voter registration

     

    By Pauline Waruguru
    Nevis Reporter-SKNVibes.com

     

    CHARLESTOWN, Nevis - CABINET SECRETARY Ashley Farrell categorically refuted claims by members of the Opposition party, the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), that civil servants were using government vehicles to transport people to the Electoral Office located in the Nevis Cooperative and Credit Union premises.

     

    “Political appointees are not civil servants,” Farrell told SKNVibes when asked to comment on the alleged malpractices. He said those who were visibly seen at the precincts of the Electoral Office facilitating voters to confirm their registration were either political appointees or working with statutory bodies.

     

    But CCM supporters, at the Electoral Office grounds, maintained that government employees were all civil servants. They also alleged that CCM supporters were being asked to go home without confirming their registration for petty reasons.

     

    “Government employees and operators have guided the process,” Mark Brantley said.

     

    Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition and former Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Vance Amory, said in an interview that the confirmation process is geared to enable potential voters to confirm where they live and to ascertain their proper names are on the voters’ list.

     

    Amory explained that routine registration of voters does not stop at any given time and called on the Supervisor of Elections and leaders to disseminate this to potential voters, noting “if you miss the deadline, you still have an opportunity to vote by registering as a voter”.

     

    He said after a voter registers, it would take one month before their name appears on the voters’ registration list. He called on the Supervisor of Elections not to destroy the old list.

     

    Amory said should the Prime Minister call an early election where only the new list is used, it would create what he described as a “difficult” situation.

     

    Asked to comment on alleged malpractices, he said: “We have to look very carefully. Last night an officer in charge told us the exercise would end by five, but we were here until nine in the night.”

     

    He said any flaws in an electoral process would derail the sanctity of democracy. He also said election processes should be exercised properly and noted the reconfirmation process had been rushed.

     

    Asked whether the alleged malpractices would deny political parties a level playing ground comes election time, Amory said more than ever, St. Kitts and Nevis would require neutral monitoring bodies in future elections to safeguard democracy. 

     

    ~~Adz:Right~~

     

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