by Linda Straker
- Public meetings scheduled to commence on 21 May at National Stadium
- 9 locations listed for consultations on new voter registration system
- Independent Caucus for Constitution Reform will not participate because of short notice
A new voter registration system will soon be installed in Grenada, but before the upgrade, the Parliamentary Elections Office (PEO) will be embarking on a series of public meetings aimed at educating the public about the new system.
“The Parliamentary Elections Office is in the process of procuring a new computerised voter registration system. As a result, the office will embark on a series of public consultations on the voter registration process,” said a notice from the office which was disseminated via the Government Information Service (GIS). “These consultations aim to gather feedback from citizens and stakeholders, to further enhance the registration system and address any concerns or suggestions.”
The notice listed 9 locations for consultations. However, a non-governmental organisation which was invited to the consultations has informed the PEO that its membership will not be participating in any of the 9 consultations because of the short notice.
The Independent Caucus for Constitution Reform which is a group of citizens who are concerned about the lack of education on the Constitution of Grenada, in its response to the invitation from the Elvis Morain, Supervisor of Elections said, “It is with regret that we inform your office that despite our commitment to the process of electoral reform, the notice is not sufficient to meaningfully engage a broader grouping of civil society and communities.”
“This transition affects the core of our democracy and adequate time to discuss and respond to this proposal is needed. We are also alarmed that data disseminated from your office shows a total of 91,145 registered voters, yet only 9 consultations are scheduled over a period of 2 weeks for 9 days. This surmises that there are expectations of approximately 10,000 persons per session,” said the response which was also copied to members of the media. “This is unrealistic and our grouping — though willing — is unable to facilitate at this time. We stand firm that the entitlement to vote represents the fundamental principle of equality and is intrinsically linked to other rights and freedoms. Therefore, it should be guided by the will and involvement of all eligible voters.”
The membership of the grouping believes that such a consultation requires a robust and in depth consultative process which should include a “Report from the Supervisor of Elections ventilated in our Parliament and circulated via public fora.”
Scheduled to commence on 21 May at the National Stadium, the consultations will conclude on 11 June at the St John’s Anglican School. The other locations are
- Wednesday, 22 May 2024 at the South St George Government School (Springs)
- Thursday, 23 May 2024 at Corinth Government School
- Tuesday, 28 May 2024 at St Andrew’s Methodist School
- Wednesday, 29 May 2024 at Paraclete Government School
- Tuesday, 4 June,2024 at St Patrick’s Anglican School
- Wednesday, 5 June 2024 at the Hillsborough Government School
- Thursday, 6 June 2024 at Petite Martinique Roman Catholic School
