Devon Evans, Gleaner Writer
OCHO RIOS, St. Ann:
THE JAMAICA Labour Party (JLP) has threatened to strongly oppose any attempt by the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) to close the verification of voters without giving the electorate a fair opportunity to verify their status.
JLP leader Bruce Golding said the party was very concerned about the state of the verification exercise. He said the party wanted the EOJ to give more time for the completion of the process.
The reverification exercise was scheduled to end last November. That date was, however, extended to the end of December. But, according to Mr. Golding, more than 300,000 persons are yet to be reverified and they could be disenfranchised.
The JLP leader was speaking at a press conference held at Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Resort in St. Ann, on Sunday, following the close of the annual two-day retreat of the JLP's Central Executive.
MORE WORK NEEDED
Mr. Golding said he wanted the EOJ to do considerably more work to determine the true status of persons whose names appear on the current voters' list and avail them of every opportunity to confirm their status.
"I need not say that this party will take the strongest position at any attempt to produce a list, which will deprive persons who may not have been fortunate to be at home when scrutineers visited," he said.
Mr. Golding said, however, that he did not believe an attempt was being made to disenfranchise known JLP supporters.
"The Electoral Office and the EAC did not appreciate the magnitude of what they were taking on and, for that reason, the way in which it was done was not (as) well thought out as it should have been," he said.
The two-day retreat of the Central Executive, held at Sandals Dunn's River Villaggio and Spa, was called to review the past year and to develop plans for 2006.
Dr. Kenneth Baugh, JLP chairman, said several matters of national importance were discussed. He said Saturday's discussions focused on organisational matters within the party, including its preparedness for upcoming elections.
"We also discussed matters of electoral importance, concerning the preparedness of the country," he added.
The JLP chairman said the discussions on Sunday, involving mayors and deputy mayors, dealt with matters concerning the Constitution and other issues of national concern.
