Narcis-Scope: EBC dealing with UNC complaints

ELECTIONS and Boundaries Commission (EBC) chief election officer Fern Narcis-Scope has assured that the organisation is assiduously dealing with a flurry of complaints which have been issued by the UNC on the day of the April 28 general election.

Up to 5.06 pm, the UNC had sent at least 15 letters of complaint to the EBC, with a total of 14 correspondences between the organisations being shared with Newsday. The issues raised by UNC ranged from lengthy waiting times at polling stations, to unavailability of stationery, canvassing by opposing parties and the alleged unlocking of a ballot box in south Trinidad. In one of the letters, the UNC alleged that a PNM mock station had been erected within 100 yards of two polling stations in Gulf View, San Fernando.

Narcis-Scope confirmed the report and said police had been sent to investigate the matter.

"The exact location is given as a particular residence and which is within the 100-yard demarcation placed by the EBC for those polling stations," UNC's letter said.

The UNC letter claimed people aligned with the PNM were congregating by the residence and were trying to speak to voters.

Snr Supt Rodhill Kirk told Newsday that a team of officers was dispatched to the location. Kirk said the officers informed him that the people at the residence in question were outside of the 100-yard zone.

"If they are there and they outside of the zone, we can't make any moves to remove them from that private yard," Kirk said.

In the electoral district of Fyzabad, UNC also issued a complaint about a ballot box which was reportedly unlocked at polling station 4411 at the Our Lady of the Assumption South Oropouche RC Primary School. The UNC letter said an unlocked ballot box is of grave concern to the party as it casts doubts on the integrity of the electoral process.

Narcis-Scope assured that this matter was also being investigated.

Narcis-Scope acknowledged that another complaint was also brought to their attention, with the UNC claiming they have received reports of voters only being given an hour to vote by their establishments of employment. She said the EBC has done all in its power to educate the public on their voting rights, which allows them two hours to vote, to go along with their customary lunch hour.

"We have no investigative/enforcement power," Narcis-Scope said via a telephone interview. This issue has been brought to our attention and we encourage employees who may be subject to this to report it to the police immediately."

Elsewhere, at the Endeavour Hindu School in the Chaguanas West district, the UNC claimed a police officer reportedly directed the presiding officer to allow just two people inside the polling station at a time.

At the time, Narcis-Scope was unable to confirm any reports of the incident referred to in the letter, but she did say that her polling day staff were duly reminded of their functions and the police's role as well.

"I cannot say for certain whether or not the information is accurate. But as much as the issue has been raised with us, we're acting on letting the returning officer know so he or she can speak with the presiding officer on the matter," Narcis-Scope said.

"We have also notified the police on this issue in terms of reminding them where their roles and functions start and stop as it relates to their activities in the polling station.

"The polling station is the responsibility of the presiding officer. That has been addressed. I don't know if it was a case of (the officer over-stepping), but I would have spoken to the returning officers to have a word with the presiding officer on the matter."

Narcis-Scope's official correspondence to the UNC read, Please be advised that we have noted your concern and the presiding officer at Endeavour Hindu School (Polling Station 2860-1) has been advised accordingly. The matter has also been raised with the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Curt Simon."

Speaking to Newsday just after midday, ASP Mukesh Dipchand said that there had been no reports of issues or mischief in the Chaguanas West district and denied the UNC's claims.

"That never transpired," Dipchand said. "The presiding officer (at the polling station) said the police officer on duty didn't do anything like that. Nothing like that ever happened. I don't know where they are getting their information from."

Dipchand said his officers were fully apprised of their roles before the opening of the polls at 6 am.

"Before I dispatched my officers, I told my officers that we are there (at the polling stations) to uphold the law. We are not there to dictate the pace of the presiding officers."

As she voted at Hermitage Presbyterian Primary School, opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar hoped for good sense to prevail as the EBC treats with her party's various complaints.

"We have sent several letters to the EBC within the last couple of weeks, up to just before I left. Several letters are going out again for irregularities taking place at some other polling stations," Persad-Bissessar said.

"I pray that good sense prevails and there is no real restrictions and blockages of people casting their votes."

With reporting by Jonathan Ramnanansingh