Progressive Party seeks legal advice on ballot-paper error

PROGRESSIVE Party leader Nikoli Edwards said the party will seek legal advice over the wrong symbol for the party being placed on the ballot paper for the general election.

Edwards said the party's symbol is a blue and gold flame with the words "Progressive Party" underneath it.

But on the ballot paper, Edwards said, the symbol is the blue and gold flame, without the party's name.

He described a statement issued by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) about the party's symbol which appears on the ballot paper, as "erroneous and condescending."

Edwards said the commission was wrong to claim that he raised no objection to the symbol used for the party during pre-examination of nomination papers on July 10 and July 17.

He said after filing his nomination papers on July 17, he noticed the wrong symbol for the party was on the ballot paper. Edwards said he brought it to the returning officer's attention.

He said he hoped the returning officer would have liaised with the EBC to correct this problem.

Saying the EBC has not responded to the party's initial complaint, Edwards said the party is seeking a formal response from the commission to that complaint.

In the interim, Edwards said the party will seek legal advice on the way forward.

The fact that the party is only contesting the San Fernando West seat in the election is immaterial, he said. Whether a candidate or party is contesting one or 41 seats in an election, they should be "treated with respect and dignity."

Edwards said the "entire electoral process is one that is not very accommodating" and the EBC is not doing anything to make the process smoother for people who wish to engage in the electoral process.

He felt this could be a reason why politically the country continues to "exist in a two-party system."