Omar Anderson, Gleaner Writer
DR. LLOYD Barnett, chairman of Citizens' Action for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE), wants a fixed date for by-elections.
He said this was to reduce manipulation of the calling of such election by any political party.
Dr. Barnett, a constitutional lawyer, yesterday urged the government to call a by-election for West Kingston, formerly represented by Edward Seaga who resigned as member of Parliament in January. Senator Bruce Golding has since been named caretaker.
"We have had experience of by-elections not being held for over a year," the CAFFE chairman told The Gleaner. "The history of holding by-elections has been very erratic and unprincipled."
REASON GIVEN FOR THE DELAY
Dr. Barnett was, however, quick to point out that the reason given for the delay in setting a date for the West Kingston by-election was not necessarily politically self-serving.
"But that doesn't make it justifiable," he stated.
Yesterday, the House of Representatives was expected to amend and pass three bills allowing the pilot use of electronic voting in the West Kingston by-election.
Almost two Fridays ago, Opposition Senators became upset after the Senate was adjourned without passing the bills which the House of Representatives had passed a couple days before.
The Opposition Senators claimed they were hoodwinked, as according to Senator Golding, a senior Cabinet member had given him personal undertakings that the bills would be passed in the Senate that day.
But denying knowledge
of any such undertakings, Senator Burchell Whiteman, leader of government business in the Senate, said the bills had needed additional amendments before they could have been passed.
RIGHTS OF THE CONSTITUENTS
Yesterday, Dr. Barnett told The Gleaner that the rights of the West Kingston constituents were "paramount", and that issues relating to the administrative efficiency of the electoral machinery, should not prevent them having parliamentary representation.
"My concern is the principle of representation which is the fundamental democratic right of the people of Jamaica; that they not be denied political epresentation unless some essential factors can be given why it (the process) is delayed," he said.
In a press release issued yesterday, Dr. Barnett said CAFFE supported the recommendation of the constitutional commission that the date for the calling of a by-election in the circumstances of the death or resignation of a sitting MP should not be a matter for political decision, but a specific time frame should be prescribed by legislation.
