Walker WITH THE distinct possibility that by-elections could be held in a number of constituencies, Parish Council divisions, or full Local Government Elections later this year, the next 12 months could be extremely busy for Danville Walker and his staff at the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ).
Mr. Walker, who worked as senior accountant at Coopers and Lybrand and lectured at Baruch College between 1991 and 1994, was also a partner in the New York tax consultancy firm, Walker and Associates before he became the EOJ head.
He had been beating back challenges long before he defeated eight other candidates for the top post of director of elections, a job he landed in May, 1997.
The post became vacant seven months earlier when his predecessor Major Winston Sutherland was dismissed on a recommendation from the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC). Sutherland had been accused of improperly spending money belonging to the EOJ and of making questionable appointments at that office.
The dismissal paved the way for the appointment of Walker who was to become immediately involved in the enumeration of voters for general elections in December of the same year -- a mere seven months after taking office.
He withstood a barrage of criticism during his 3 1/2 year tenure, mostly from the Jamaica Labour Party and the National Democratic Movement who have called for his resignation on more than one occasion but he has been resolute.
His refusal to honour a bill of $7.74 million for US-based TRW Overseas Inc., for the provision of a cross-matched voters list, insisting the firm failed to deliver and caused widespread problems on election day, December 18, 1997, has been cited as an example of his "no-nonsense approach" to his work.
