The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A CONCERNED resident is alleging voter fraud in the West Grand Bahama constituency, claiming that at least three persons whom he knows that are not legitimate Bahamians have been issued voter’s cards.

Lionel Morley, a resident of Eight Mile Rock, claims that he knows three persons who have been issued voter’s cards for the upcoming 2017 general election even though they do not possess a Bahamian passport or birth certificate.

He is concerned that many others may have also illegally registered, and is calling on the opposition parties to be very vigilant at the polls.

“I believe that there could be widespread voter fraud in the Eight Mile Rock area and it is imperative that we, the Bahamian people, protect our democracy and protect the voting process,” Mr Morley told The Tribune.

“A lot of people, particularly from EMR, have come to me for help with affidavits to help them to become documented and three of them are now flashing voter’s cards in my face. And when I asked them about it, they say ‘as long as you are on the right team they will make it happen for you,’” he alleged.

Eight Mile Rock - the largest settlement outside of Freeport and in The Bahamas - is populated with many undocumented residents.

Reno Smith, assistant parliamentary commissioner in Freeport, is urging concerned persons who have proof and know of such individuals to bring it to the attention of the Parliamentary Registration Department before the election.

He warned that persons making false declarations during voter registration can be arrested and charged for fraud.

“If there are some concerns about persons allegedly having voter’s card and who are not citizens of The Bahamas, and if persons have evidence to such claims they need to bring that to us so we can get retrieve the government’s property,” Mr Smith told The Tribune.

Mr Morley, a labour activist/independent labour consultant, stressed that this election it is too important to Grand Bahama and to all Bahamians throughout the country.

“We have to protect the voices of the legitimate masses from those who are trying to steal the election. I am hoping the powers that be understand the importance of protecting this process, but I am also calling on the opposition parties to be vigilant and to fight to ensure that the process is protected not only for their sake, but for the sake of Bahamians,” he stressed.

Mr Morley said that he will be watching with eagle eyes at the polls come Election Day on May 10.

“We cannot tolerate this kind of assault on our democracy, and I can tell you that any one of those people I see around that poll that I know have flashed voter’s card at me, it will be hell on earth because we will get the police involved to protect this democracy we have,” he said.

“The Bahamian people deserve free and fair elections, but it appears that some people will stop at no end to win this election.

“Three undocumented persons I know have been issued voter’s cards, and they tell me it’s widespread. If they can do it for three, only gods knows who much people are registered illegally,” he claimed.

“If the masses want to vote for the PLP the process has to be fair, or if they want the FNM, or the DNA, that party has a right to be duly elected by the people; that is the Bahamian people’s right,” Mr Morley stressed.

The department has already retrieved some voter’s cards that were issued to some persons in Grand Bahama.

Mr Smith noted that when persons register they swear or affirm that they are citizens of The Bahamas of voting age and residing in a particularly constituency. Making a false declaration to a public officer is against the law, he said.

The assistant parliamentary commissioner stated that the department will make sure the full brunt of the law is felt by persons who would have made false declarations to a public officer.

Mr Smith indicated that sometimes individuals may slip through during the registration process.

“We do know there were some off-springs of individuals who were naturalised and given citizenship, and if you don’t scrutinise the documents properly, and if they bring their mothers citizenship papers in it is automatically assumed I am Bahamian,” Mr Smith said.

“If the interviewing person did not look at the date of the document and see that the offspring was born after the mother was naturalised, they could slip through.

“We had one or two (incidents) and we spoke to it previously in the press where we were able to retrieve some cards. If there were others who are not citizens and are flaunting those cards, we need persons in the community to contact us.

“This is about national security, this is your country and you should not condone any unscrupulous behaviour. If you know for a fact somebody has a voter’s card that should not, bring it to us before Election Day so we can have necessary action taken,” he said.

“And so for persons who are claiming there are persons in Grand Bahama flaunting voter’s cards who are not citizens we would like for them to bring that information to us.

“Evidently, persons must have had to produce certain documentation, and we would like for persons making such accusations to prove otherwise.”

Mr Smith said that unfortunately, it might too late to have their names removed from the register because the register was certified yesterday.

However, he warned that if persons have made false declarations, the department will move to have those persons publicly charged.

In late March, police arrested an Eleuthera man for alleged voter fraud. He was later charged with the offense in Magistrate’s Court.