EOJ ready for December poll
Andrew Holness or Portia Simpmson-Miller, who will Jamaica chose as its next prime minister.
THE Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) says all its systems will be ready for the staging of a December general election. The announcement followed a meeting yesterday during which the Director of Elections, Orrett Fisher, updated the ECJ on his agency's state of readiness for the expected election.
The development comes less than a month after Fisher's declaration that the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) was not ready for the election as critical pieces of equipment had not yet arrived, as well as the necessary training of election personnel had not been completed.
But speaking with the Observer yesterday, selected member of the commission Dr Herbert Thompson disclosed that at their meeting consideration was given to the pronouncement by prime minister Andrew Holness that the election will be called on the November 30 voters' list. He added that the ECJ also took note of the prime minister's announcement on Sunday, in which he gave strong indications that Jamaicans will be going to the polls before the end of this year.
"Given those realities, the position is that any election that is called on the November 30 list, and held this year will be something for which the commission, and more specifically the EOJ, will be ready. Given the processes that are now in train; the recruitment and training of election day workers, training of technical people to administer the electronic voter identification system, the liaison with the police force, and the training of polling stations security officers. Put all of those in the equation and yes, we will be ready," said Thompson.
He said that all major pieces of equipment, including apparatus for the electronic identification of voters in specific constituencies, are now in the country. In addition, Thompson confirmed that the next voters' list will definitely be published on November 30. The Observer has also been informed that the final draft of the list has been presented to the two main political parties for review, ahead of next week's publication.
Thompson refused to be drawn into the discussions regarding the earliest possible date for an election, given the provisions in the Representation of the People Act, amidst concerns that the election date could fall very close to Christmas.
However, it is understood that at yesterday's meeting between the ECJ and the EOJ the issue of the election date arose and it was agreed that the prime minister in naming the date will benefit from the necessary legal advice.
Given the prime minister's pronouncement that he will be using the November 30 voters' list, Nomination Day must be five clear days from the publication of the list that he intends to use. In addition, there has to be a minimum of 16 days and a maximum of 23 days between Nomination Day and Election Day.
Addressing the Jamaica Labour Party's 68th annual conference on Sunday, Prime Minister Holness, who was widely expected to announce the election date, indicated that he may do so at a mass rally of the JLP.
"The next time you see me at a mass meeting it will be 'get set', it is going to be a sprint to the finish line," Holness declared then.
Labour Party officials are tight-lipped regarding reports that the prime minister will be announcing the election date next week at a mass rally to be held in Spanish Town, St Catherine.
