The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

WITH the 2017 general election just hours ahead, Free National Movement Free Town candidate Dionisio D’Aguilar yesterday said he doubts newly appointed Acting Parliamentary Commissioner Charles Albury will be able to prevent Wednesday’s vote from repeating the chaos of last week’s advanced poll.

Calling Mr Albury’s take over of the Parliamentary Registration Department “too little, too late,” Mr D’Aguilar said while he prays the governing Progressive Liberal Party will exercise “fairness and decency”, he believed the May 10 election would be far from it because neither description matched the mantra of the PLP.

Meanwhile, both FNM Chairman Sidney Collie and party Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest said they were in possession of certified copies of the voter register, but were unable to confirm whether the documents were error free.

However, Mr Collie said he, with executives from other parties, are scheduled to meet with Mr Albury to address issues this morning. Asked to reveal what these were, Mr Collie declined further comment.

Mr D’Aguilar said: “I pray a level of decency comes through and the that the PLP will exercise fairness and decency and proper behaviour, but it’s not their mantra.

“We as an opposition it seems has continued to be working one step behind, especially because the PLP seems to have this unadulterated access to officials in the Parliamentary Registration Department.

“In addition we found lots and lots of errors in the previous versions of the register and I think even the final one today (Monday) has people in the wrong constituency. I hope these people and others are not disenfranchised.”

He added: “There are all these issues we have to deal with. It’s an incredibly chaotic process and no one has the confidence that they should right now.

“When you wait too late to call the election and to create these constituencies you create these problems. It almost seems like in the PLP there is a campaign of win at any cost.

“But it’s just not a fair process where they have this access that we don’t and they know that we are constantly trying to catch up.

“Overall though, I have serious doubts. This guy was just parachuted in days before and there is no way he can get a handle on this.”

Meanwhile Mr Collie has accused Prime Minister Perry Christie of pretending to “exhibit accountability” by appointing Mr Albury a day after former Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall’s contract expired.

He questioned why Mr Christie would make staffing changes to the Parliamentary Registration Department days before the next general election, instead of providing the vital government department with adequate resources a long time ago.

The government announced on Friday that Mr Albury would serve as acting parliamentary commissioner until the post is substantively filled.

Mr Hall’s troubled tenure as parliamentary commissioner culminated in Wednesday’s chaotic advanced poll for the general election, which saw many voters wait for hours in long lines and, in some cases, not able to vote because their names were not on the register.

Mr Hall’s contract with the government expired on Thursday.

A Cabinet press release on his replacement on Friday evening noted: “The Cabinet Office advises that with effect from May 6, 2017, Mr Charles Albury will serve as acting parliamentary commissioner until the post is substantively filled.

“Mr Albury has served with distinction in the public service in various ministries for more than 30 years. His present substantive post is permanent secretary in the Ministry of Tourism. The government looks forward to drawing on his extensive experience in the public service and in particular his previous distinguished service in the Parliamentary Registration Department.”