by Linda Straker
- Voters have until 15 October to make adjustments to final voters’ list
- List was released on Monday, 8 October and contains 79,397 names
- Once 2/3 of voters answer ‘yes’, constitution will be amended
Voters in Grenada have until 15 October to make any adjustment to the final voters’ list that will be used for the 6 November 2018 referendum which is seeking to the constitution by making the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice the final appellate court instead of the London-based Privy Council.
The list was released on Monday, 8 October and contains 79,397 names. Voters will be required to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the following question on the ballot paper: “Do you approve the bill for an act proposing to alter the constitution of Grenada cited as constitution of Grenada (Caribbean Court of Justice and renaming of Supreme Court) (Amendment) Bill, 2018?”
Once 2/3 of voters answer ‘yes’ to the question, the necessary amendment will be made to the constitution. The bill is seeking to make the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice the final appellate court. At present, the final appellate court for Grenada is the London-based Privy Council.
Alex Phillip, Supervisor of Elections, said that it’s the right of every registered voter to inspect the list. “Each registered person should confirm that their name is properly registered and placed in the correct constituency,” he said. He advised if any discrepancy is discovered a complaint should be filed using the official forms.
If another person identifies any discrepancies, that person can file an objection claim using the official objection forms at the Parliamentary Elections Office.
Also on Monday, the Upper House or Senate approved amendments to the People’s Representation Act – the piece of legislation that governs the operations of the Parliamentary Elections Office and any election or poll day. That amendment is among other things seeking to criminalise the use of cellular phones, digital cameras and other electronic devices inside of polling booths.
The Lower House or House of Representatives approved the amendments last Friday during a special sitting.
The bill must now go through the final stage of accession by the Governor General, published in the Gazette and given a date of effect for it to become law. Once all requirements are complete, the amendment will be enforced for the November referendum.
