NNP failed in its bid

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Parent Category: Oct 2011

Category: Week ending Oct 29th, 2011

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The main opposition New National Party (NNP) has failed in its bid to prevent government from passing all three stages to give legal effect to the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2011.

 The Bill seeks to amend the Representation of the People’s Act 1993 to provide for the establishment of a new computerised voter registration system and for the introduction of biometrics therein.

 When the Bill was tabled in the Lower House last week Thursday, for its first reading, Leader of Government Business, Finance Minister, Nazim Burke, indicated that it will be taken through all its three stages.

 Opposition Leader, Dr. Keith Mitchell objected, saying that he was disturbed that the House was even considering to proceed with the Bill and made it clear that he was not in support of it and wanted the records to show that he did not support the move by government.

 He said that the Opposition members in Parliament needed more time to look at the recommendations and come back to the house to debate the Bill.

 The objections raised by the Opposition were taken into consideration by Speaker of the House, George Mc Guire, who adjourned the sitting for half an hour to consult with both parties on the issue.

 Following the behind the scene discussions, the sitting resumed and government was allowed to proceed with the bill.

 Prime Minister Tillman Thomas told the session that the objections raised by the Opposition Leader was lacking in substance and that the new bill was being done in the interest of the Grenadian people.

 He said the Opposition had sufficient time to analyse the Bill that is merely aimed at enhancing the democratic process.

 The new machine to be used by the Electoral Office was purchased last year by government to replace the outdated Polaroid camera that was being used to photograph eligible voters. 

 Supervisor of Elections, Judy Benoit had stated publicly it had become impossible to obtain replacement parts for the camera since the company that produced the equipment ceased doing so many years ago.

 Parliamentary Representative for Carriacou and Petite Martinique, former Attorney General, Elvin Nimrod accused the Congress government of putting the cart before the horse, by importing the machine without the necessary legal framework in place.

 “That’s what they do, shoot first and ask questions later”, Nimrod told the House.

 The Bill was tabled in Parliament in March but the Speaker requested the government to withdraw it in order for certain amendments to be made to the document.

 The Bill when passed in both Houses of Parliament will enable the Electoral Office to use a fully digital camera to register voters.

 The equipment was purchased in Canada at a cost of $2,137,101.00, which includes $1,193,106.00 to purchase the machine itself, as well as maintenance fee of $143,995.00 per year for the next five years.

 Under the new system, voter ID cards will be provided free of cost but persons seeking replacement ID Cards due to damage or defacement will have to pay a fee of $5.

 The new ID cards will have some new features that the present one does not have such as finger printing.

 It will also look similar to the current driver’s license issued by the police but is said to be more technologically advanced.

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