Pt Fortin voters disgusted at sharing cloth to wipe fingers

Point Fortin voters were disgusted on Monday morning when a particular polling station which required them to wipe excess electoral ink from their fingers on a shared piece of cloth.

Voting got off to a smooth start at the Egypt Government Primary School, with around seven voters present at 5.30 am, and about 20 at 6 am. More voters began trickling in soon after.

The process seemed to last approximately five minutes for most people, who were all wearing masks.

But for some, when it was time to wipe their right index finger after voting, plling-station staff pointed them to a white T-shirt – to be used by all voters.

One voter – a nurse – told Newsday, “I am disappointed…Some covid19 protocols were not being adhered to and no one (was) enforcing them. No social distancing in the lines.

"I had to point out the cloth they had multiple persons using...I hope they improve it after I informed one of the presiding officers about it.

She herself, she said, "took napkins from the side and told my mom not to touch that.”

She insisted, They need to do better.”

Another voter said she had to ask for the cloth be turned to a “clean side” before she used it.

The second voter for the morning told Newsday she was asked to use a napkin, along with a few others.

Voters at other polling stations, such as Point Fortin East Secondary, Point Fortin West Secondary and Point Fortin RC Schools, said they were given napkins to wipe their fingers.