The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

ACTING Parliamentary Commissioner Lavado Duncanson was silent yesterday on whether quarantined citizens or COVID-19 patients will be able to vote in the upcoming general election.

He was contacted after Damian Gomez, former state minister for legal affairs in the Christie administration sent him a letter giving him 36 hours to confirm whether registered voters who are quarantined or suffering from COVID-19 will be prevented from voting.

Mr Gomez said the letter was “in anticipation of litigation” and if the appeal to patriotism did not succeed, the Progressive Liberal Party would commence “expeditious prosecution of court proceedings.”

Mr Duncanson, who spoke to The Tribune for just under two minutes, would not respond to the threat yesterday or answer questions about voters in quarantine.

“I am in the middle of a meeting at this time and multiple persons are sitting before me,” he said. “I have before me team members that are scheduled to travel overseas this morning to conduct the advance polls overseas so it is unfortunate that the timeline that we find ourselves in at the Parliamentary Registration Department dictates that we seek to facilitate all of the necessary measures of the department.

 “So I apologise in advance that I cannot sincerely give you a time when I would be available and tomorrow I cannot give you a time either.”

Asked when a convenient time for an interview would be, he said, “I am certain you can appreciate the time frame that we are in with an advance poll scheduled to be held on Thursday.

Minister of National Security Marvin Dames recently indicated that Bahamians in quarantine or positive with COVID-19 are more than likely not going to be able to participate in voting on September 16. However, the government has not released an official definitive statement on the issue.

Mr Gomez’s letter on Monday noted in part, “We are alarmed that you may be influenced by the outgoing administration to prevent Bahamian citizens who are duly registered in accordance with the Parliamentary Elections Act, (chapter) 7, sections 8 and 9 from casting their respective votes notwithstanding that they are not suffering from any legal incapacity as defined in section 10 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, (chapter) 7.

“To allay our clients’ fears, we write to request that you confirm within 36 hours that you will not prevent any registered voter from casting his or her ballot on the basis that he or she is quarantined or on the basis that he or she is suffering from COVID-19. We further request that you indicate what steps have been taken to ensure that such persons who are quarantined or persons suffering from COVID-19 may cast their respective ballots in a facility that is safe to other members of the electorate. If no such steps have been taken, we request an explanation for such failure.”

Mr Gomez also gave examples of countries, to include the Turks and Caicos Islands and Jamaica, which have conducted elections while ensuring that registered voters could vote regardless of their quarantine or infection status.