Slow start to special voting in San Fernando

Day one of voting for special electors in the December 2 local government election got off to an extremely slow start at polling stations in San Fernando. Voting started on Monday and is expected to culminate on

December 1. When Newsday visited the three polling divisions scattered throughout the city, staff members could be seen chatting with each other or looking anxiously at the door for signs of special electors. At the Rushworth Street poll station, returning officer Eddison Ramdeen said the station had opened at 9.15 and at 10 am (when Newsday visited), only two people had voted.

“And these two persons came from separate districts so what we are having here is normal for a local government election.”He said more people may come out during the week, and the polling station which had opened at 9am, would be open until 3pm.He said just under 250 people had registered as special electors for the three districts.A police officer said only three people had voted at the Mannie Ramjohn polling station as of 10 am.

Special electors include police officers, members of the Defence Force, Prison Service, and groups who may be unable to go in person to the polling station at which they are entitled to vote because they are hospitalised at a public hospital, or in a private hospital approved by the Elections and Boundaries Commission.Flight crews of aircraft and people who work offshore in the energy sector are also recognised as special electors.