EBC order adjusts 12 constituencies

Ganga Singh -
Ganga Singh -

THE ELECTIONS and Boundaries Commission (EBC) order 2020 has adjusted 12 constituencies.

The Prime Minister laid a motion to accept the order in the House Friday.

He said there is a formula for the constituencies that is not widely known and he has heard on many occasions people speaking of “big and small constituencies” as though it was some type of misconduct, usually on the part of the PNM. He explained that the total voting population is divided by the number of seats and the law states that no seat can be ten per cent above or below the average.

“So it is possible to have a difference between the smallest and largest seat of 20 per cent.”

He reported of the 41 constituencies minor changes were made to 12, namely: two polling divisions are being transferred from Couva North to Couva South; Toco/Sangre Grande is transferring three polling divisions to Cumuto/Manzanilla; Laventille West is transferring one polling division to Laventille East/Morvant; Oropouche East is transferring one polling division to Oropouche West; Port of Spain South is transferring two polling divisions to Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West and one polling division to Laventille West; and two polling divisions will be transferred from San Fernando East to San Fernando West.

He said no changes were made in the other constituencies, including the two Tobago constituencies, because the numbers were found to be as permitted by the law. He also said the constituency names remained unchanged.

Dr Rowley said the country has had a history of successfully conducted elections and noted in another Caricom country (Guyana) two months after an election the election commission was not in a position to report on the results. He expressed hope the matter would be concluded in the near future.

Chaguanas West MP Ganga Singh in his response said the EBC order is a precedent for the calling of elections which are due in September. He also referred to an earlier statement by the Prime Minister in which he announced draft campaign finance reform legislation was being sent to a Joint Select Committee. He asked what was the legislative pathway to get campaign finance reform working and whether it would be done prior to elections.

“The real test of the mettle of the Prime Minister is if he can get it passed before the general elections in 2020.”

He stressed that it can be a challenge to host an election with all the safeguards for coronavirus and pointed out with about 25,000 people involved, including EBC staff and party polling agents, there would be a real challenge to have social distancing in place. He also noted that the Constitution only allows for voting by ballot and does not allow for electronic voting or voting by mail.

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"EBC order adjusts 12 constituencies"

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