By Krystel Rolle ~ Guardian Staff Reporter ~ krystel@nasguard.com:
Opposition Leader Perry Christie did not use any of the $100,000 allocated by the government for projects in his Farm Road constituency in 2007/2008, according to Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
But Christie explained that he was taking time to focus on completing necessary and effective projects.
Ingraham made the revelation on Sunday while responding to suggestions by the Progressive Liberal Party that the government would neglect Elizabeth if voters there do not elect Dr. Duane Sands as their member of Parliament next week.
"We continue to demonstrate that we don't do work in constituencies because of who [the constituents] support," said Ingraham during a news conference on Sunday.
"In fact, in some constituencies where we made monies available like $100,000 for the MPs to decide on what should be done in the constituency, people like Mr. Perry Christie in the first year didn't spend any of the money at all. He determined in the first year that there wasn't anything to be done while others like Yamacraw [MP Melanie Griffin] and St. Cecilia [Cynthia 'Mother' Pratt] overspent because they figured they had needs in their constituency to be dealt with."
Yesterday, Christie admitted that he took longer to spend his constituency allowance than others did, but he said it was not because there was no work to be done in that area.
Christie said that during the year in question, his constituency office was planning how best it could use the allowance.
He said plans are now in place to expand three parks in his constituency and to add bathroom facilities in at least two of the parks.
He said both the Hay Street park and the Sunlight Village park are heavily used and do not have bathrooms. The Fowler Street park needs to be expanded, he said.
Christie said he has asked the government to acquire adjoining property to make it larger, and to completely refurbish the park.
He said the work is extensive and would cost more than the $100,000 allowance.
"If he's saying that I didn't use the money as quickly as some of the other MPs, he's probably dead right," said Christie, who added that by planning what he would do more thoroughly he probably used the money more efficiently.
"I don't know what Ingraham was intending to achieve by making that announcement but my sense was that I had to somehow expand the parks and I'm doing that."
Christie said the Ministry of Works recently acknowledged that its employees visited the site and took measurements of the parks. It has also been acknowledged that the bids went out to complete the work, Christie added.
The government also allocated $100,000 in fiscal year 2008/2009 to each MP for projects in the various constituencies.
February 09, 2010
thenassauguardian
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Bain and Grants Town MP Dr. Bernard Nottage (PLP): By-election could end up before Election Court
By Keva Lightbourne ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ kdl@nasguard.com:
The Progressive Liberal Party believes that the Elizabeth by-election may end up before the Election Court if persons who registered in the constituency illegally are allowed to vote on February 16.
This point was made by Bain and Grants Town MP Dr. Bernard Nottage during a news conference held at the PLP's Farrington Road headquarters yesterday. Nottage further claimed that the party has uncovered many instances where people registered in the area but should not have been allowed to do so.
"Many persons who are on the register should not be on the register, because they have not lived in the constituency for as many as two years. You are permitted to continue to vote in a constituency if you have moved out for less than six months. But if you have moved out for more than six months you are no longer legally entitled to vote," said Nottage, who is also the PLP's campaign coordinator for the Elizabeth by-election.
"Similarly, to transfer into a constituency and be able to vote you must be living there for three months after you have moved into the constituency. There are persons on the register who have been there for less than three months but who have registered," he alleged. "The job of the parliamentary commissioner is to ferret those persons out and to remove them from the register or not to transfer them into the constituency."
Nottage said while some attempts to clean up the register were made, he does not believe they were entirely successful.
Meanwhile, at a Free National Movement (FNM) news conference Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said the party would not be fighting any cases in Election Court, as elections are won at the polls.
On Friday Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel confirmed that he had certified the voter register for the Elizabeth constituency. The voter register was certified amid ongoing claims of voter fraud and irregularities.
Ingraham said the FNM was conducting a forensic examination of the register and had uncovered a number of errors.
Bethel said 4,943 voters are on the register.
No changes can be made to the register, but candidates could still lodge challenges they may have on election day.
According to Nottage if there are extensive challenges on that day, the situation will become very "confrontational," and he hoped that this could be avoided.
"We ought not be going into an election where we expect to have to challenge 200 or 300 or 400 persons. One or two now and then is to be expected for a variety of reasons. I am not saying that there are 200 or 300, but I am saying that there are many persons in the hundreds who cannot be found in the constituency or who have not been found in the constituency despite intensive work so far," he explained.
And while Nottage could not give a figure for the number of persons who are on the register and should not be, he noted that the parliamentary register had somewhere in the region of 420-430 new voters.
"And when we looked at who those new voters were, we found when we compared it with the 2007 register that there may be as many as an additional 80. We have not completed that review yet," said Nottage.
"About half of the parliamentary commissioner's list were people who we legitimately feel should be there because of their age. They just became of full age since the last election so we know that they are okay. But there were many people, some born as early as [the] 1930s who are there as new voters who we believe may not legally be there," he added.
But, Nottage admitted that this point could not yet be proven, adding that in due course it would be determined.
Nottage reported that the increase in the number of registered voters in the Elizabeth constituency is unprecedented. He said a review of the increase between elections held in the Elizabeth constituency every five years shows a rise between 1997 and 2002 of 9.53 percent and between 2002 and 2007 of 2.66 percent. Yet, Nottage indicated that the largest increase of 16.64 percent occurred between 2007 and 2010 - a period of two years and nine months.
"It is our belief that such an increase is highly unlikely, and that there are on the Elizabeth register many persons who do not have the right to be there. Some have moved out, some may have died, some may have registered without being eligible," Nottage said.
Additionally, the Bain and Grants Town MP disclosed that he had received reports from Elizabeth residents who claimed that people purporting to be working with the Parliamentary Registrar Department had been visiting their homes, or making phone calls to them and making erroneous observations, in some cases allegedly altering information on voters cards.
Nottage alleged that some people have reported that the polling division on their voter's card had been changed, resulting in members of the same household being placed in two different polling divisions.
"It is clear that such random and ad hoc relocation of voters would complicate the voter identification process, potentially create mass confusion and frustration on election day, and discourage the voter from exercising his or her democratic right," Nottage said.
For example, he alleged that one voter indicated to the PLP that if his children could not vote where he votes then no one would vote.
"Because they were all in polling division number 5 until somebody comes along and puts some of them in five and some of them in 11. So we have to seek to persuade them that notwithstanding what has happened, that they should all go and vote in different polling divisions," Nottage reported.
The party called on the Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest, who is responsible for the register, to immediately investigate the situation and "provide a full and clear explanation as to why the transfers were done, [and] what corrective actions are being taken to remedy this unfortunate situation."
In the meantime, Nottage is advising Elizabeth voters to remain calm even though on the face of it, it appears that their democratic rights are being frustrated.
The opposition MP then slammed the government for not seeking to rectify the register following the general Election Court challenges, which highlighted the fact that its integrity was compromised.
"Surely then a new government coming to power would seek immediately to correct those defects. Even though Prime Minister Ingraham is quick to point the finger at former Prime Minister (Perry) Christie, we say that it was his fault that they have not made any concrete steps within the parliamentary commissioner's office as it relates to its structure and function to correct this situation," Nottage stressed.
February 08, 2010
thenassauguardian
The Progressive Liberal Party believes that the Elizabeth by-election may end up before the Election Court if persons who registered in the constituency illegally are allowed to vote on February 16.
This point was made by Bain and Grants Town MP Dr. Bernard Nottage during a news conference held at the PLP's Farrington Road headquarters yesterday. Nottage further claimed that the party has uncovered many instances where people registered in the area but should not have been allowed to do so.
"Many persons who are on the register should not be on the register, because they have not lived in the constituency for as many as two years. You are permitted to continue to vote in a constituency if you have moved out for less than six months. But if you have moved out for more than six months you are no longer legally entitled to vote," said Nottage, who is also the PLP's campaign coordinator for the Elizabeth by-election.
"Similarly, to transfer into a constituency and be able to vote you must be living there for three months after you have moved into the constituency. There are persons on the register who have been there for less than three months but who have registered," he alleged. "The job of the parliamentary commissioner is to ferret those persons out and to remove them from the register or not to transfer them into the constituency."
Nottage said while some attempts to clean up the register were made, he does not believe they were entirely successful.
Meanwhile, at a Free National Movement (FNM) news conference Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said the party would not be fighting any cases in Election Court, as elections are won at the polls.
On Friday Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel confirmed that he had certified the voter register for the Elizabeth constituency. The voter register was certified amid ongoing claims of voter fraud and irregularities.
Ingraham said the FNM was conducting a forensic examination of the register and had uncovered a number of errors.
Bethel said 4,943 voters are on the register.
No changes can be made to the register, but candidates could still lodge challenges they may have on election day.
According to Nottage if there are extensive challenges on that day, the situation will become very "confrontational," and he hoped that this could be avoided.
"We ought not be going into an election where we expect to have to challenge 200 or 300 or 400 persons. One or two now and then is to be expected for a variety of reasons. I am not saying that there are 200 or 300, but I am saying that there are many persons in the hundreds who cannot be found in the constituency or who have not been found in the constituency despite intensive work so far," he explained.
And while Nottage could not give a figure for the number of persons who are on the register and should not be, he noted that the parliamentary register had somewhere in the region of 420-430 new voters.
"And when we looked at who those new voters were, we found when we compared it with the 2007 register that there may be as many as an additional 80. We have not completed that review yet," said Nottage.
"About half of the parliamentary commissioner's list were people who we legitimately feel should be there because of their age. They just became of full age since the last election so we know that they are okay. But there were many people, some born as early as [the] 1930s who are there as new voters who we believe may not legally be there," he added.
But, Nottage admitted that this point could not yet be proven, adding that in due course it would be determined.
Nottage reported that the increase in the number of registered voters in the Elizabeth constituency is unprecedented. He said a review of the increase between elections held in the Elizabeth constituency every five years shows a rise between 1997 and 2002 of 9.53 percent and between 2002 and 2007 of 2.66 percent. Yet, Nottage indicated that the largest increase of 16.64 percent occurred between 2007 and 2010 - a period of two years and nine months.
"It is our belief that such an increase is highly unlikely, and that there are on the Elizabeth register many persons who do not have the right to be there. Some have moved out, some may have died, some may have registered without being eligible," Nottage said.
Additionally, the Bain and Grants Town MP disclosed that he had received reports from Elizabeth residents who claimed that people purporting to be working with the Parliamentary Registrar Department had been visiting their homes, or making phone calls to them and making erroneous observations, in some cases allegedly altering information on voters cards.
Nottage alleged that some people have reported that the polling division on their voter's card had been changed, resulting in members of the same household being placed in two different polling divisions.
"It is clear that such random and ad hoc relocation of voters would complicate the voter identification process, potentially create mass confusion and frustration on election day, and discourage the voter from exercising his or her democratic right," Nottage said.
For example, he alleged that one voter indicated to the PLP that if his children could not vote where he votes then no one would vote.
"Because they were all in polling division number 5 until somebody comes along and puts some of them in five and some of them in 11. So we have to seek to persuade them that notwithstanding what has happened, that they should all go and vote in different polling divisions," Nottage reported.
The party called on the Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest, who is responsible for the register, to immediately investigate the situation and "provide a full and clear explanation as to why the transfers were done, [and] what corrective actions are being taken to remedy this unfortunate situation."
In the meantime, Nottage is advising Elizabeth voters to remain calm even though on the face of it, it appears that their democratic rights are being frustrated.
The opposition MP then slammed the government for not seeking to rectify the register following the general Election Court challenges, which highlighted the fact that its integrity was compromised.
"Surely then a new government coming to power would seek immediately to correct those defects. Even though Prime Minister Ingraham is quick to point the finger at former Prime Minister (Perry) Christie, we say that it was his fault that they have not made any concrete steps within the parliamentary commissioner's office as it relates to its structure and function to correct this situation," Nottage stressed.
February 08, 2010
thenassauguardian
The governing Free National Movement (FNM) to challenge questionable by-election votes
By Krystel Rolle ~ Guardian Staff Reporter ~ krystel@nasguard.com:
Despite the fact that the register was purged of ineligible voters on Friday, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said the Free National Movement has been unable to reach hundreds of registered Elizabeth voters and plans to challenge all questionable votes on election day - February 16.
"We made available to the [parliamentary] commissioner [Errol Bethel] a number of reports of our findings, all of which were not able to be disposed of satisfactorily before the register was closed on Friday. We would therefore make challenges of such voters on election day," said Ingraham, who was speaking at a press conference yesterday afternoon in his capacity as FNM leader.
People eliminated from the register, according to Ingraham, included people who are dead, people who are registered in Elizabeth but who live in Yamacraw and those who have moved out of the constituency.
Ingraham said the FNM is seeking to verify the number of people who are still ineligible to vote.
"There are many vacant apartments in Elizabeth and many persons are registered to vote along those streets (where the vacant apartments are situated)," said Ingraham.
"And while we can't say with certainty - because the register is not compiled where we can say persons live in house 12 or apartment two etc. - the reality is that we haven't been able to find a number of persons and that would be in the hundreds. But we know who we couldn't find. Some of the people we couldn't find, we know they don't live in Elizabeth. We've also spoken to the neighbors. We've also spoken to landlords and we are fairly sure that a number of them are not entitled to vote even though they are on the register and we will challenge those votes."
According to Bethel there are 4,943 voters on the register.
He said no changes can be made to the register, but candidates could still lodge challenges they may have on election day.
Ingraham discouraged people not entitled to vote from trying to do so.
"I want to use this opportunity to say if you are not living in Elizabeth, if you were registered to vote there before the last election, if you moved out for more than six months, please do not show up to vote. If you were not living there for at least three months before you registered to vote, you are not entitled to vote there. Please do not show up to vote," he reiterated.
"We have a fair idea of the names and addresses of persons who have registered in Elizabeth who do not live there. We also have a fair idea of persons who have moved out of Elizabeth and other cases (of persons) who do not live there period. We also know all of those people who were registered to vote, who are now in prison and not entitled to vote."
Ingraham said the government will make several changes to prevent such discrepancies when the general election rolls around.
"The first thing we will do is make sure that competent people are doing the register. We will not seek to choose FNM or PLP supporters to do so."
He said the government will ensure that people who have experience will man the registers. He added that the people who worked in the offices during previous elections are still alive and can be called upon if necessary.
"The next election there will not be a problem with the register, because you have a prime minister who will have his hands on the tiller... who will make sure to do his job, which is what the prime minister is supposed to do, ensure that the country is able to have a reliable voter register where people can go and vote for the candidate of their choice, without worrying whether hanky panky is taking place," he said.
Additionally, he said all streets will have names and houses will have numbers. Ingraham said that will cut out some of the confusion that exists today.
In regards to the FNM's chances of winning the by-election, Ingraham said after visiting virtually every occupied dwelling house in the constituency, the FNM "feels good about the response that we've gotten."
He added that win or lose, the FNM will not be going to election court.
"We win on election day or we lose on election day," he said.
Polling stations include: Thelma Gibson Primary School in Elizabeth Estates, Faith Temple Christian Academy on Prince Charles Drive, Church of God and New Dimension Ministries, both on Joe Farrington Road.
February 08, 2010
thenassauguardian
Despite the fact that the register was purged of ineligible voters on Friday, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said the Free National Movement has been unable to reach hundreds of registered Elizabeth voters and plans to challenge all questionable votes on election day - February 16.
"We made available to the [parliamentary] commissioner [Errol Bethel] a number of reports of our findings, all of which were not able to be disposed of satisfactorily before the register was closed on Friday. We would therefore make challenges of such voters on election day," said Ingraham, who was speaking at a press conference yesterday afternoon in his capacity as FNM leader.
People eliminated from the register, according to Ingraham, included people who are dead, people who are registered in Elizabeth but who live in Yamacraw and those who have moved out of the constituency.
Ingraham said the FNM is seeking to verify the number of people who are still ineligible to vote.
"There are many vacant apartments in Elizabeth and many persons are registered to vote along those streets (where the vacant apartments are situated)," said Ingraham.
"And while we can't say with certainty - because the register is not compiled where we can say persons live in house 12 or apartment two etc. - the reality is that we haven't been able to find a number of persons and that would be in the hundreds. But we know who we couldn't find. Some of the people we couldn't find, we know they don't live in Elizabeth. We've also spoken to the neighbors. We've also spoken to landlords and we are fairly sure that a number of them are not entitled to vote even though they are on the register and we will challenge those votes."
According to Bethel there are 4,943 voters on the register.
He said no changes can be made to the register, but candidates could still lodge challenges they may have on election day.
Ingraham discouraged people not entitled to vote from trying to do so.
"I want to use this opportunity to say if you are not living in Elizabeth, if you were registered to vote there before the last election, if you moved out for more than six months, please do not show up to vote. If you were not living there for at least three months before you registered to vote, you are not entitled to vote there. Please do not show up to vote," he reiterated.
"We have a fair idea of the names and addresses of persons who have registered in Elizabeth who do not live there. We also have a fair idea of persons who have moved out of Elizabeth and other cases (of persons) who do not live there period. We also know all of those people who were registered to vote, who are now in prison and not entitled to vote."
Ingraham said the government will make several changes to prevent such discrepancies when the general election rolls around.
"The first thing we will do is make sure that competent people are doing the register. We will not seek to choose FNM or PLP supporters to do so."
He said the government will ensure that people who have experience will man the registers. He added that the people who worked in the offices during previous elections are still alive and can be called upon if necessary.
"The next election there will not be a problem with the register, because you have a prime minister who will have his hands on the tiller... who will make sure to do his job, which is what the prime minister is supposed to do, ensure that the country is able to have a reliable voter register where people can go and vote for the candidate of their choice, without worrying whether hanky panky is taking place," he said.
Additionally, he said all streets will have names and houses will have numbers. Ingraham said that will cut out some of the confusion that exists today.
In regards to the FNM's chances of winning the by-election, Ingraham said after visiting virtually every occupied dwelling house in the constituency, the FNM "feels good about the response that we've gotten."
He added that win or lose, the FNM will not be going to election court.
"We win on election day or we lose on election day," he said.
Polling stations include: Thelma Gibson Primary School in Elizabeth Estates, Faith Temple Christian Academy on Prince Charles Drive, Church of God and New Dimension Ministries, both on Joe Farrington Road.
February 08, 2010
thenassauguardian
Saturday, February 6, 2010
The Governing Free National Movement (FNM) documents voter 'errors' in forensic scrutiny of the Elizabeth voter register
By CANDIA DAMES ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
The errors on the Elizabeth voter register discovered by the Free National Movement during its forensic scrutiny are numerous, according to Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
In one instance, as documented by the party, the FNM discovered that one of the people registered to vote in the February 16 by-election moved out of the area years ago, and only returned two months ago after he and his wife separated.
He reportedly moved back in with his mother. The law requires voters to be ordinarily resident in a constituency for at least six months in order to vote.
The man's brother is also said to be registered, but he does not live in the constituency.
Another voter, the scrutiny shows, lives on the eastern side of Commonwealth Boulevard. While he lives in Elizabeth Estates, he is in the Yamacraw constituency.
These cases, according to senior FNM officials, can be replicated many times over, contaminating the voter register.
But Ingraham said his party and the government are determined to ensure the highly anticipated election is both free and fair.
"We are forensically going through the register and anyone who we have any questions about, we are seeking to contact them, to locate them, to obtain as much information as we can," he told The Nassau Guardian during an exclusive interview in his downtown office yesterday. "We've been doing this for a little while and we've been doing a very good job. I want to thank the people who are doing this for us. This is a political operation, so others may be shouting from the rooftop. We will be rejoicing on the 16th."
Ingraham said there is no higher duty for a prime minister to perform than to protect the country's democracy, to protect the sanctity and the ability of the people of The Bahamas to choose their government in a free and fair election and to have a register of voters that is as accurate as is humanly possible.
Since the 1992 election, the parliamentary commissioner has been required to make available to all candidates and political parties the register of voters for any constituency. The object of this is for parties and candidates to go through the register as it is being compiled to see whether they detect any errors or omissions in the register.
"I recall very vividly in 1992 I discovered that the register for one of my polling divisions, Grand Cay, had a number of names on it of persons I knew did not live there," Ingraham said.
"That was an innocent mistake, but the reality is that somebody had to check it to verify it...That is what we are doing with Elizabeth today.
"That is what we would have done for constituencies before now. We have discovered a number of errors and we are making them known to the registrar. We've discovered people who do not live in the constituency who show up on the register for the Elizabeth constituency. We've made that list available to the [parliamentary commissioner] and we are continuing the exercise, so that to the best of our ability we are able to identify and provide the [parliamentary commissioner] with any information we have about who is in the wrong polling division, who we have verified no longer live in the constituency or who've been able to show never did reside in the constituency, but who were included on the register of 2007."
Ingraham said the Free National Movement would likely make a statement on what it found during its scrutiny of the register.
He said that in 2007, former Prime Minister Perry Christie "fumbled and dropped" the ball, and failed to ensure the integrity of the general voter register.
"[Former Prime Minister the late Sir Lynden Pindling] had an election in 1992 with a clear register. I did so in 1997 and again in 2002. He (Christie) neglected to do his job," Ingraham charged.
"It is not possible for you to produce a register when you've changed the boundaries in a constituency at the time Mr. Christie did and expect to have a reasonably accurate register.
"No prime minister will call a general election without asking the parliamentary commissioner 'Is the register in order? Is it ready? What time do you need to get it in order?' so he could factor that in before he calls an election, but you must recall that Mr. Christie called an election on May 2, 2007.
"Mr. Bradley Roberts, the chairman of the PLP, was in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, swearing in Haitian nationals to become citizens of The Bahamas with them going to the commissioner's office on the same day, with them being registered to vote in the 2007 election because clearly he could not have known that Mr. Christie was going to dissolve the [Parliament and] those persons were unable to vote."
The Guardian asked Roberts yesterday to respond to this statement from the prime minister. Roberts said he recalled that at the time in question he was in Abaco on Ministry of Works business as he was minister at the time.
He said he recalls three people who needed to be sworn in — an American, a Haitian and a European — because their original swearing-in process had been "screwed up". He denied Ingraham's suggestion about what the motive for the swearing in of those nationals was.
Ingraham said yesterday, "Whatever is wrong with the register, Mr. Christie is responsible. I will never have an election called by me in The Bahamas where we're not satisfied that the register is in proper order. That's my duty to ensure that the people of The Bahamas' right to vote is never compromised as a result of negligence or carelessness or incompetence."
Ingraham noted that the Boundaries Commission reported on March 26, 2007 and the general election was called for May 2, 2007.
"It was not possible with the best of intentions to have an appropriate, accurate register in that short period of time," he said.
Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel is scheduled to certify the Elizabeth register today, but candidates could still lodge any complaints about alleged voter fraud they may have.
February 05, 2010
thenassauguardian
The errors on the Elizabeth voter register discovered by the Free National Movement during its forensic scrutiny are numerous, according to Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
In one instance, as documented by the party, the FNM discovered that one of the people registered to vote in the February 16 by-election moved out of the area years ago, and only returned two months ago after he and his wife separated.
He reportedly moved back in with his mother. The law requires voters to be ordinarily resident in a constituency for at least six months in order to vote.
The man's brother is also said to be registered, but he does not live in the constituency.
Another voter, the scrutiny shows, lives on the eastern side of Commonwealth Boulevard. While he lives in Elizabeth Estates, he is in the Yamacraw constituency.
These cases, according to senior FNM officials, can be replicated many times over, contaminating the voter register.
But Ingraham said his party and the government are determined to ensure the highly anticipated election is both free and fair.
"We are forensically going through the register and anyone who we have any questions about, we are seeking to contact them, to locate them, to obtain as much information as we can," he told The Nassau Guardian during an exclusive interview in his downtown office yesterday. "We've been doing this for a little while and we've been doing a very good job. I want to thank the people who are doing this for us. This is a political operation, so others may be shouting from the rooftop. We will be rejoicing on the 16th."
Ingraham said there is no higher duty for a prime minister to perform than to protect the country's democracy, to protect the sanctity and the ability of the people of The Bahamas to choose their government in a free and fair election and to have a register of voters that is as accurate as is humanly possible.
Since the 1992 election, the parliamentary commissioner has been required to make available to all candidates and political parties the register of voters for any constituency. The object of this is for parties and candidates to go through the register as it is being compiled to see whether they detect any errors or omissions in the register.
"I recall very vividly in 1992 I discovered that the register for one of my polling divisions, Grand Cay, had a number of names on it of persons I knew did not live there," Ingraham said.
"That was an innocent mistake, but the reality is that somebody had to check it to verify it...That is what we are doing with Elizabeth today.
"That is what we would have done for constituencies before now. We have discovered a number of errors and we are making them known to the registrar. We've discovered people who do not live in the constituency who show up on the register for the Elizabeth constituency. We've made that list available to the [parliamentary commissioner] and we are continuing the exercise, so that to the best of our ability we are able to identify and provide the [parliamentary commissioner] with any information we have about who is in the wrong polling division, who we have verified no longer live in the constituency or who've been able to show never did reside in the constituency, but who were included on the register of 2007."
Ingraham said the Free National Movement would likely make a statement on what it found during its scrutiny of the register.
He said that in 2007, former Prime Minister Perry Christie "fumbled and dropped" the ball, and failed to ensure the integrity of the general voter register.
"[Former Prime Minister the late Sir Lynden Pindling] had an election in 1992 with a clear register. I did so in 1997 and again in 2002. He (Christie) neglected to do his job," Ingraham charged.
"It is not possible for you to produce a register when you've changed the boundaries in a constituency at the time Mr. Christie did and expect to have a reasonably accurate register.
"No prime minister will call a general election without asking the parliamentary commissioner 'Is the register in order? Is it ready? What time do you need to get it in order?' so he could factor that in before he calls an election, but you must recall that Mr. Christie called an election on May 2, 2007.
"Mr. Bradley Roberts, the chairman of the PLP, was in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, swearing in Haitian nationals to become citizens of The Bahamas with them going to the commissioner's office on the same day, with them being registered to vote in the 2007 election because clearly he could not have known that Mr. Christie was going to dissolve the [Parliament and] those persons were unable to vote."
The Guardian asked Roberts yesterday to respond to this statement from the prime minister. Roberts said he recalled that at the time in question he was in Abaco on Ministry of Works business as he was minister at the time.
He said he recalls three people who needed to be sworn in — an American, a Haitian and a European — because their original swearing-in process had been "screwed up". He denied Ingraham's suggestion about what the motive for the swearing in of those nationals was.
Ingraham said yesterday, "Whatever is wrong with the register, Mr. Christie is responsible. I will never have an election called by me in The Bahamas where we're not satisfied that the register is in proper order. That's my duty to ensure that the people of The Bahamas' right to vote is never compromised as a result of negligence or carelessness or incompetence."
Ingraham noted that the Boundaries Commission reported on March 26, 2007 and the general election was called for May 2, 2007.
"It was not possible with the best of intentions to have an appropriate, accurate register in that short period of time," he said.
Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel is scheduled to certify the Elizabeth register today, but candidates could still lodge any complaints about alleged voter fraud they may have.
February 05, 2010
thenassauguardian
Friday, February 5, 2010
Godfrey 'Pro' Pinder of the United Christian Love Revolution Movement sues over rejected nomination attempt
By Juan Mccartney ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ juan@nasguard.com:
Attorney Godfrey 'Pro' Pinder is refusing to give up his quest to take part in the Elizabeth by-election, or at least be acknowledged as a candidate.
On Wednesday, Pinder - who had planned to run on the United Christian Love Revolution Movement ticket - filed suit in the Supreme Court asking the court to overturn the January 29 rejection of his attempted nomination by returning officer Jack Thompson.
Pinder has appealed on 16 grounds.
This means that the rejection has been suspended and will be challenged after the by-election on February 16.
In the appeal obtained by The Nassau Guardian, Pinder details the happenings on nomination day that led to his nomination being rejected.
Last Friday, Pinder showed up to nominate two minutes before noon, which is when nominations would have closed. After already being late, Pinder paid the mandatory $400 deposit fee to nominate for the election with a personal check.
However, the government requires that deposits be paid with a bank-certified check or with cash.
Thompson therefore rejected the nomination.
Among the grounds of Pinder's appeal are that the nomination rules do not specify the particulars of the payment amount in terms of the currency in which the payment should be made; that the practice of charging $400 as a deposit for nominees is discriminatory toward the poor; that the true nature of the payment type was not properly outlined on the nomination form; that Thompson was on a "frolic of his own and acted with bias" and out of self interests; and that Thompson and possibly other respondents named in the suit acted contrary to the Parliamentary Elections Act.
Pinder also claims to have taken a Scotiabank-certified check to the office of Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel on the same day that his nomination was rejected, only to allegedly have Bethel turn him away saying, "I cannot accept that."
In the appeal, Pinder also claims Thompson failed to first state the facts and grounds for his decision to reject Pinder's nomination before endorsing the rejection letter.
Pinder is also requesting that Progressive Liberal Party candidate Ryan Pinder's citizenship records be subpoenaed and entered into evidence. Pinder claims that Ryan Pinder holds both United States and Bahamian citizenship.
Up to press time yesterday, Bethel said he had yet to receive notice of the appeal.
February 05, 2010
thenassauguardian
Attorney Godfrey 'Pro' Pinder is refusing to give up his quest to take part in the Elizabeth by-election, or at least be acknowledged as a candidate.
On Wednesday, Pinder - who had planned to run on the United Christian Love Revolution Movement ticket - filed suit in the Supreme Court asking the court to overturn the January 29 rejection of his attempted nomination by returning officer Jack Thompson.
Pinder has appealed on 16 grounds.
This means that the rejection has been suspended and will be challenged after the by-election on February 16.
In the appeal obtained by The Nassau Guardian, Pinder details the happenings on nomination day that led to his nomination being rejected.
Last Friday, Pinder showed up to nominate two minutes before noon, which is when nominations would have closed. After already being late, Pinder paid the mandatory $400 deposit fee to nominate for the election with a personal check.
However, the government requires that deposits be paid with a bank-certified check or with cash.
Thompson therefore rejected the nomination.
Among the grounds of Pinder's appeal are that the nomination rules do not specify the particulars of the payment amount in terms of the currency in which the payment should be made; that the practice of charging $400 as a deposit for nominees is discriminatory toward the poor; that the true nature of the payment type was not properly outlined on the nomination form; that Thompson was on a "frolic of his own and acted with bias" and out of self interests; and that Thompson and possibly other respondents named in the suit acted contrary to the Parliamentary Elections Act.
Pinder also claims to have taken a Scotiabank-certified check to the office of Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel on the same day that his nomination was rejected, only to allegedly have Bethel turn him away saying, "I cannot accept that."
In the appeal, Pinder also claims Thompson failed to first state the facts and grounds for his decision to reject Pinder's nomination before endorsing the rejection letter.
Pinder is also requesting that Progressive Liberal Party candidate Ryan Pinder's citizenship records be subpoenaed and entered into evidence. Pinder claims that Ryan Pinder holds both United States and Bahamian citizenship.
Up to press time yesterday, Bethel said he had yet to receive notice of the appeal.
February 05, 2010
thenassauguardian
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Perry Christie - Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) leader: Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham threatened voters in Elizabeth Constituency
By CANDIA DAMES ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
Progressive Liberal Party leader Perry Christie last night accused Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham of making a veiled threat to constituents of Elizabeth, and suggested that the Free National Movement is losing significant ground as it faces what he called a voter backlash.
Christie referred to a recent statement made by the prime minister who urged Elizabeth constituents to vote for the FNM's candidate and pointed out that after the February 16 by-election the FNM will still be the government.
"That sounded to me like what he was saying was that if you expect to get anything out of this government you better vote FNM or you can forget it," Christie charged at a rally in Elizabeth last night.
"Sounded like he was saying if you vote PLP and elect Ryan Pinder, you better not think you can expect any help from the FNM. That sure was what the intended message sounded like to me."
Christie claimed that Ingraham was attempting to trade off of the tremendous suffering he (Christie) said exists in Elizabeth.
"Right now there are people in Elizabeth who find it hard to sleep at night not only because of worry over rising crime but for other reasons as well," he said.
"Many people are making themselves sick with worry over the fact that they don't have any way of helping their children prepare for the future as a result of what this FNM government did when it canceled the government scholarship scheme."
Putting a question to government ministers campaigning in Elizabeth, he asked: "Since you are saying you have the power to help people and that only the FNM is in a position to help the people of Elizabeth, well, then, let me ask all of you, what has been stopping you from helping them for these almost three years that you have been in power now?"
Christie told PLPs that they have a "wily and resourceful political enemy to contend with."
"They have lost more ground than they could ever have imagined possible. Each day finds them losing even more ground. They didn't count on this backlash from voters. They didn't think they would be getting the kind of poor reception they've been getting. This is turning into a nightmare for the FNM," he said.
Christie alleged that FNM candidate for Elizabeth Dr. Duane Sands was tricked by the FNM into believing that the race would be "easy pickings for him."
He charged that because things are going downhill "so bad and so fast for the FNM", the party is getting desperate "and they will get even more desperate as we get closer to election day."
The PLP leader said because the FNM is getting desperate "they are also getting dangerous."
"Believe you me the FNM have a lot more tricks up their sleeve," Christie told party supporters.
"They will try to do what it takes to win, no matter how much money or how many empty promises it may take. They will try to fool you and trick you and deceive you and mislead you right up to election day. They are not going to roll over and play dead. Don't believe that for a moment. Instead, they intend to pull out all the stops and go for broke."
Christie said this is why the PLP has to be on its guard.
Pinder — who Christie previously referred to as the poster boy for the new PLP — said that as MP, he would focus on youth development.
"As a young member of parliament sitting at the table where decisions are made about the direction of our country, you can be assured that I will be your voice, always mindful of programs and policies designed to ensure that my generation plays a meaningful role in the rewards and responsibilities of an expanding Bahamas," said the 35-year-old PLP candidate.
February 4, 2010
thenassauguardian
Progressive Liberal Party leader Perry Christie last night accused Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham of making a veiled threat to constituents of Elizabeth, and suggested that the Free National Movement is losing significant ground as it faces what he called a voter backlash.
Christie referred to a recent statement made by the prime minister who urged Elizabeth constituents to vote for the FNM's candidate and pointed out that after the February 16 by-election the FNM will still be the government.
"That sounded to me like what he was saying was that if you expect to get anything out of this government you better vote FNM or you can forget it," Christie charged at a rally in Elizabeth last night.
"Sounded like he was saying if you vote PLP and elect Ryan Pinder, you better not think you can expect any help from the FNM. That sure was what the intended message sounded like to me."
Christie claimed that Ingraham was attempting to trade off of the tremendous suffering he (Christie) said exists in Elizabeth.
"Right now there are people in Elizabeth who find it hard to sleep at night not only because of worry over rising crime but for other reasons as well," he said.
"Many people are making themselves sick with worry over the fact that they don't have any way of helping their children prepare for the future as a result of what this FNM government did when it canceled the government scholarship scheme."
Putting a question to government ministers campaigning in Elizabeth, he asked: "Since you are saying you have the power to help people and that only the FNM is in a position to help the people of Elizabeth, well, then, let me ask all of you, what has been stopping you from helping them for these almost three years that you have been in power now?"
Christie told PLPs that they have a "wily and resourceful political enemy to contend with."
"They have lost more ground than they could ever have imagined possible. Each day finds them losing even more ground. They didn't count on this backlash from voters. They didn't think they would be getting the kind of poor reception they've been getting. This is turning into a nightmare for the FNM," he said.
Christie alleged that FNM candidate for Elizabeth Dr. Duane Sands was tricked by the FNM into believing that the race would be "easy pickings for him."
He charged that because things are going downhill "so bad and so fast for the FNM", the party is getting desperate "and they will get even more desperate as we get closer to election day."
The PLP leader said because the FNM is getting desperate "they are also getting dangerous."
"Believe you me the FNM have a lot more tricks up their sleeve," Christie told party supporters.
"They will try to do what it takes to win, no matter how much money or how many empty promises it may take. They will try to fool you and trick you and deceive you and mislead you right up to election day. They are not going to roll over and play dead. Don't believe that for a moment. Instead, they intend to pull out all the stops and go for broke."
Christie said this is why the PLP has to be on its guard.
Pinder — who Christie previously referred to as the poster boy for the new PLP — said that as MP, he would focus on youth development.
"As a young member of parliament sitting at the table where decisions are made about the direction of our country, you can be assured that I will be your voice, always mindful of programs and policies designed to ensure that my generation plays a meaningful role in the rewards and responsibilities of an expanding Bahamas," said the 35-year-old PLP candidate.
February 4, 2010
thenassauguardian
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Rodney Moncur - Workers Party Leader: Dr. Duane Sands (FNM) is Disqualified from running in the up-coming bye-election in the Elizabeth Constituency
WORKERS PARTYElizabeth Constituency Election Headquarters Of
Rodney Moncur / February 2nd 2010
Duane Sands is Disqualified
Article 48, Section 1(j) of the Constitution of The Bahamas states that ” No person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the House of Assembly who is interested in any government contract and has not disclosed the nature of such contract and of his interest therein by publishing a notice in the gazette within one month before the day of election.”
This is the supreme law of the land and, in the case of the up-coming bye-election in Elizabeth on February 16, 2010, this means that any one who contemplated running in the bye-election and who had a contract with the Government, had to make such a declaration in the Official Gazette on or before January 17, 2010, thirty days before the election.
That person should have then brought a copy of that Gazette to the Returning Officer on 29th January 2010, nomination day, as documentary evidence that he had complied with Article 28, Section 1(j).
On nomination day, Dr. Duane Sands declared before the Returning Officer in a letter dated 29 January 2010, that he owned shares in a medical company which had a contract with the Bahamas Government.
At no time before this, and in the stipulated time-frame did Dr. Sands disclose in the Gazette his interest as it related to this contractual relationship with the Government, although this disclosure is clearly stipulated by the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land.
The first time that Dr. Sands disclosed his contract with the Government was on February 1st 2010, fifteen days too late, according to the Constitution; and this happened only because the disclosure was incidental in the Government Notice of Nomination in a Contested Election, published by the Parliamentary Registration Department.
I charge that the Returning Officer should have detected this flaw in the nomination of Dr. Sands, just as he detected a flaw in the nomination of Mr. Godfrey Pinder.
Once Dr. Sands had advised Mr. Jack Thompson, the Returning Officer, in his letter of 29 January 2010, that he had a contract with the Bahamas Government, Thompson should have then demanded, promptly and on the spot, evidence that Sands had complied with Article 48 1(j).
Unfortunately, he did not do this. And so Dr. Duane Sands, although in full violation of one of the fundamental rules of free and fair elections, is a candidate in the up-coming election.
This amounts to a grave travesty of democracy perpetrated on all the Bahamian people by the Free National Movement under Hubert Ingraham; and Dr. Duane Sands should disassociate himself from this shameful disgrace, withdraw from the race and return to his medical practice which this country so desperately needs.
I welcome political competition and I am not afraid of it. I have been in front line politics longer than all of the other candidates. However, the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and every citizen, and the Government as well, must adhere to the provisions therein.
I charge that Dr. Duane Sands is disqualified from running in the up-coming bye-election because he has not complied with the requirement of the Constitution as outlined in Article 48,1(j), which constitutes one of the fundamental qualifications of a candidate.
And I therefore call on Dr. Duane Sands to act honourably and drop out of the bye-election forthwith; he and all his FNM hosts.
Rodney Moncur
Candidate
February 2, 2010
Bahamas Blog International
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