BASSETERRE, St Kitts – The opposition St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) said it is disturbed and alarmed at the irregularities taking place in and around the vicinity of the electoral office in Basseterre.
In an official statement, the SKNLP said it appears that the supervisor of elections, Elvin Bailey, “continues to abuse his position and is bent on assisting certain members of the government in using the electoral office to (apparently), ‘determine the outcome of the upcoming election’.”
The party said it recently met with the supervisor of elections to raise the concerns, but to date, there has been no attempt in evidence to address the many concerns raised.
“Instead, the number of ‘infractions’ at the electoral office continues to increase that are in many ways reminiscent of the irregularities and illegalities that took place leading up to and during the general elections of June 5, 2020,” the SKNLP said.
“From observations and evidence in the SKNLP possession, several activities taking place at the Electoral Office have seemingly, given rise to the perception that there is wanton corruption taking place in the electoral system.”
The SKNLP call for an end to improper conduct:
- “The discriminatory way in which the electoral office refuses to print National ID cards for select persons registered to vote;
- “The intimidation and discourteous treatment of citizens standing in line to register by unauthorized figures dispatched by members of the prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis’ Peoples Labour Party (PLP);
- “Evidence of ostensibly, illegal transfers of names on the voter’s list to areas where voters are not resident;
- “The bold and open display of seemingly, corrupt behavior where persons are brought in to register by the scores and are lining up presumably, to be paid following their registration, all in plain sight of observers and within the vicinity of the electoral office;
- “The operation of the electoral office well after working hours when certain well-known gangsters are seen registering unknown persons and presumably, collecting batches of ID cards from the office;
- “The non-publication of the monthly lists depicting the names of the new voters who have been registered during the period and the names of those who have been transferred; and,
- “The non-publication of the Report of the objections process that took place in March 2022.”
“The subversion must cease. The ostensibly ‘wanton corruption’ of our electoral system must cease,” said the SKNLP. “Democracy is a fragile treasure that every citizen must value and demand that it be respected and preserved.”
“The SKNLP will not accept nor tolerate the tactics used by a dictatorial prime minister who presently heads an illegitimate government that is attempting to win the election at all cost and by any means necessary,” the SKNLP statement added. It will “fight, tooth and nail, to ensure that the upcoming general elections are conducted in a manner that is free and fair and free from fear.”
The SKNLP called on Elvin Bailey, the supervisor of elections; attorney-general Vincent Byron and the electoral commission, to:
“Ensure that the business of the electoral office is conducted in accordance with the principles of impartiality and fairness and in full compliance with the laws and procedures of St Kitts and Nevis.”
“We enjoin every citizen and resident, every patriot to join us in this fight. We call on our civil servants, police and defense force officers, particularly those performing duties in or outside the electoral office, to take a stand for what is right and fair and not to allow themselves to be compromised and coerced into improper and illegal conduct.
“As citizens we are all endowed with inalienable human rights and civil liberties. The St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party is asking us all to proceed with urgency and courage to protect our hard-won freedoms,” the SKNLP said.
