Seaga and Walker
LEADER OF the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Edward Seaga yesterday blasted Director of Elections, Danville Walker for his decision to postpone the demonstration of the electronic voting equipment, scheduled for September 7.
Mr. Seaga charged that Mr. Walker had acted without authority as no member of the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) had instructed him to put off the demonstration.
He said Mr. Walker had been given "joint instructions by Ryan Peralto, the JLP's representative and Maxine Henry Wilson, the PNP's representative on the EAC to invite the overseas parties to the September 7 demonstration.
The Opposition Leader said that Mr. Walker, by acting unilaterally, was doing so without the authority of the EAC which employs him to carry out its instructions.
"My member on the EAC said he had no discussions with prior to the decision being taken and if he has acted on the basis of discussions with Mrs Henry Wilson only, the situation would be even worse," Mr. Seaga told The Gleaner.
Mrs. Henry Wilson could not be reached for comment but Mr. Walker last night defended his decision to postpone the demonstration. He said the EAC currently has no independent members and therefore cannot form a quorum. "So if you have no EAC, then it is academic that the demonstrations have to be cancelled," he said.
Yesterday The Gleaner reported that the planned demonstration was put off because of the controversy surrounding the composition of the EAC. The last set of independent members -- attorney-at-law William Chin See, Q.C., chairman; company director Corinne McLarty, and Professor Gerald Lalor, scientist, and a former Pro Vice Chancellor of the UWI, Mona have not been reappointed because of a disagreement between the JLP and the People's National Party (PNP).
The PNP wants to retain the three persons, while the JLP wants a new slate of representatives. The matter has been referred to Governor General Sir Howrad Cooke who will appoint the independent members after consultation with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
In the meantime, the three vendors who are from the United States and France have been asked to delay their trip while the issue is sorted out.
Mr. Walker, last night, also dismissed suggestions by Mr. Seaga that he has an obligation to carry out the instructions of the EAC. "I am not employed by the EAC. I am appointed by the Governor-General. Also, I do not take instructions, from the EAC...the legislation clearly states that."
The Representation of the Peoples Act. Section 5 notes that the EAC shall be responsible for advising the Director on the performance of his functions. Its adds that "where the Director refuses to follow any advice or recommendation of the Committee (EAC), he shall report the matter to Parliament within 14 days of such refusal."
But Mr. Seaga also used the occasion to launch an assault on the performance of Mr. Walker's on the job.
"It has long been our complaint on the EAC that Mr. Walker does not readily take instructions and this has been one of the main causes of the breakdown in the electoral system," the JLP leader said.
He said that in 1997 Mr. Walker failed to carry out instructions to include everybody on the voters list despite the state of their fingerprint data. This failure to follow instructions, he said, resulted in many JLP voters being left off the voters list, thereby causing the party to lose a number of marginal seats.
"Mr. Walker's tendency to run wild with the electoral system is one of the reasons why a stronger team of selected members must now be named to ensure and insist on the instruction of the EAC being implemented at all times," he said.
