by Linda Straker
- St George North-East PEO Sub Office unable to process applications due to no internet connectivity
- Telecommunications provider in process of fixing problem
- 80,094 eligible voters at June 2024 due to ongoing cleaning of list
Arthur Pierre, Supervisor of Elections, confirmed that the Parliamentary Elections Sub Office in St George North-East is unable to process applications for new registration and or renewed voter’s card because of a problem with the telecommunications provider — Digicel Grenada — to that office.
“We are aware of the problem and it’s totally out of our hands. The telecommunications provider is in the process of fixing the problem and we will soon be able to function normally with our services,” said Pierre who received his Instrument of Appointment for the post from Governor-General Dame Cecile La Grenade on 29 May.
The computer systems at the sub-offices are connected to the main server at Parliamentary Elections Office (PEO) headquarters. “This means that for a system in any of our sub-offices to function it must be connected to the main server. With no internet connectivity in that office we will be unable to do any work,” said Pierre.
The disruption in the service is due to challenges with the fibre optics cable in the area.
The problem of no registration at that suboffice was made public after several people in that constituency complained that they were unable to register after visiting the office on more than one occasion.
“All I was told is that the system is down, and I will have to wait, check again in a few days,” said one individual who was registering for the first time and visited the office twice.
Grenada has continuous registration for qualified electors and since the June 2022 General Elections thousands have registered. The number of eligible voters at the time of the elections stood at 87,566 according to the report published post elections. However, that number at June 2024 stood at 80,094 because of ongoing cleaning of the list due to deaths and objections for various reasons.
Section 10 of the Representation of the People Act states that the Supervisor of Elections can delete a registered elector from the voters list where the Supervisor of Elections determines that, since the publication of the current list, that person has:
(a) died
(b) left Grenada and has not been ordinarily resident in that constituency for a period exceeding 12 months, not being a citizen of Grenada
(c) ceased to be ordinarily resident in Grenada for a period exceeding 5 years, being a citizen of Grenada
(d) become ordinarily resident in another constituency
(e) had an objection to his registration allowed; or
(f) otherwise ceased to be qualified by virtue of this Act or any other law
An addendum list of voters is published at the end of March and September while the consolidated list is published at the end of June and December respectively.
