The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

AS TODAY marks the close of the 2017 voter register, Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis was doubtful that the Christie administration could produce a “clean” register before the electorate heads for the polls. This, he said, was a “prerequisite” for a free and fair election.

Voter registration for the impending election will end at 5pm today.

Following this, Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall and his department have 14 to 15 days to clean up the hundreds of reported errors presently on the register. There are currently around 167,000 voters on the register and to date Prime Minister Perry Christie has not announced the date when Bahamians can expect to head to the polls.

Last Thursday, FNM Chairman Sidney Collie raised “grave concerns” regarding the election register, pointing to the discovery of 72 pages of duplicate registrations, names printed of persons born over 200 years ago and some who were born in 2017.

He described this as “negligence” and “ineptitude,” saying there are other “irregularities” that have come to light pointing to persons who were reportedly issued citizenship and voter’s cards on the same day.

Dr Minnis said in a press statement on Saturday that if the Christie administration operated with any “semblance” of competence, the countless errors would not exist at all.

The statement followed a press conference at the FNM’s headquarters Thursday where Mr Collie addressed the party’s concerns. Dr Minnis was not in attendance.

“Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall (has) attempted to assure Bahamians that the register—containing hundreds of errors—would be cleaned up within 14 to 15 days from the date of its closure,” Dr Minnis said in his statement.

“The register is in such disarray that we have no faith in the government’s ability to produce a clean register, which is a prerequisite to a free and fair election. The experiences of the 1987 general election and the recent referendum conducted by the Progressive Liberal Party are glaring examples that the PLP is incapable of managing this basic responsibility that is so necessary for the holding of free and fair elections.

“If the Christie government operated with any semblance of competence, these countless number of errors would not exist at all. This government has shown a dangerous indifference towards the implementation of our elections under their rule,” he said.

“Recently the government has engaged in a well-planned effort to disenfranchise voters, including turning away Bahamian women trying to register, subjecting them to an unknown dress code. A phantom dress code that is not found in the rules of conduct for public officers nor in the Parliamentary Elections Act.”

He continued: “In addition to the long delays this Christie government orchestrated surrounding the boundaries report, they have shown a concerted pattern of disenfranchising the voters as their grip on power continues to slip away. With all the ineptitude and shenanigans going on at the Parliamentary Registration Department it is no wonder that the Bahamian people are worried about a rigged election.

“Bahamians are now forced to simply wait and hope that this government does in fact mitigate the hundreds of discrepancies in the voter register to ensure a fair election. The Deputy Prime Minister (Philip Davis) may not be concerned of voter fraud, but Bahamians don’t share his irrational confidence.

“For five years they have watched this PLP government manipulate and disassemble their way through one egregious debacle after another. Let’s hope that Bahamians will soon have an opportunity to remove this tyrannical government from power. It is our sincere hope that this election is not rigged for one side. Rest assured the FNM will do everything within its power to make sure Bahamians are given a free, fair and democratic election,” Dr Minnis said.

Despite the push on all political sides for Bahamians to get out and register to vote, Mr Collie said last week that Parliamentary Registration officials were still “putting road blocks” at some registration centres. These obstacles, he said, deny Bahamians the opportunity to exercise their free and democratic rights.

Mr Collie went on to note that the party was also concerned that the Parliamentary Registration Department was not operating as a coherent unit, but running two operations – one led by Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall and the other by the permanent secretary.

Mr Collie added that the FNM was worried about several voter registration centres, such as the Remnant Tabernacle Church Hall, St Barnabas, Jean Street and St Anne’s. He did not go into detail about this particular issue.

But despite the troubling state of this process, Mr Collie said the party was not pressing for the removal of Mr Hall because it was simply too late for a new team.

However, he said, these officials needed to “clean up” the register as he suggested there may be attempts by the Christie administration to “steal the election.”

Mr Hall has vowed that his department will clean up the voter register and “get it right” after a report in The Nassau Guardian revealed a myriad of errors last week. Attempts to reach him yesterday were unsuccessful up to press time.