BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Over 60 candidates were yesterday formalising their intentions to contest parliamentary seats in the January 15, general election when they filed papers in Nomination Day exercises.

The two main contenders, the incumbent Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and Democratic Labour Party (DLP) are expected to field full slates of 30 candidates each, while the minority People's Empowerment Party (PEP) is expected to be represented by four hopefuls.

Four independents also paid up the mandatory Bds $250 (US$125) last week, paving the way for them to appear on the ballot paper for the much anticipated poll in which the ruling BLP, led by Prime Minister Owen Arthur, is seeking a fourth successive term in office.

Recent political polls indicate the election will be a closely contested one. The BLP had 24 seats in the outgoing 30-member Parliament.

Electoral officials said the nomination process will close at 3:00 p.m. and representatives will be given an additional hour in which to file objections.

Meanwhile, the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) said voters will have until the close of business Monday to ensure that they are on the electoral list to vote in the general election.

EBC Chairman Philip Serrao said more than 10, 000 new voters are among the 233, 289 eligible voters currently on the list, but this number is expected to increase by the end of the registration period.

He said scores of electors who changed their addresses since the last election had not informed the commission and they might have to vote in their old constituencies.

"Those persons who would have changed residence would not have received the circular at their address, but still expect to vote in the district in which they reside in now. That will not happen, they will have to vote, if they have not notified the department, in the constituency in which they resided in 2003," he said.