BASSETTERRE, St. Kitts – The leader of the opposition People’s Action Movement has written to current chairman of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States about the electoral process in the Federation.
In a letter sent to Grenada’s Prime Minister Tillman Thomas, PAM’s leader Lindsay Grant says he is concerned that there might be attempts at fraud in the registration process in the lead-up to general elections here this year.
“Our party has recorded several cases of irregularities in the registration process which we have repeatedly called on the commission to address. However they have all been ignored,” Grant said in his letter.
“From our reviews there are massive discrepancies, including what appears to be an attempt at voter padding, registration of persons outside of their constituencies and other persons that have questionable citizenship status,” the letter stated.
The letter by Grant, follows public comments by Mark Brantley, of the Concerned Citizens Movement of Nevis, and the non partisan Chamber of Commerce, both expressing concerns about the process.
Officials of the Electoral Commission have refused public comment on the series of complaints.
Opposition political and non-government organizations also claim that repeated correspondences to the Commission, seeking for the matter to be addressed, have been habitually ignored.
Grant also complained about the abuse of the state media.
He wrote: “The manner in which the government abuses the state media company, and block dissenting views, is not only inherently corrupt, but not consistent with the actions of a serious democracy.”
Grant told the Grenadian Prime Minister Thomas, whom he met briefly with in Basseterre when he was there for an OECS Heads Summit last month, that he has followed his own personal crusade for good governance and transparency.
He called on him to use his own moral authority to impress on the authorities in Basseterre for the need to adhere to those principles.
