Nine non-nationals still in doubt for voting

While some headway has been made into the matter involving CARICOM nationals who are seeking the right to vote next Thursday, the verdict is still out on nine of the 14 claimants.

Attorneys for the claimants called an emergency hearing before Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson earlier today in Court No. 6 of the Supreme Court. 

However proceedings got underway two hours later than the scheduled 10 a.m. start.

Currently, the Chief Justice has stood down the matter for an hour and summoned the Chief Immigration Officer, Wayne Marshall to clarify the status of the outstanding nine claimants.

Jamaican Michelle Russell, claimant turned attorney, confirmed the turn of events, adding that Chief Electoral Officer Angela Taylor stated she had received the list of names on May 16.

She added that while the list submitted in March had grown to 122, only 14 were original claimants. Of those 14, five had been approved. The remaining nine are who Sir Marston said he would be focussing on. 

However, Taylor noted that she was willing to add anyone cofirmed on the list of 122.

Following a special sitting of the Caribbean Court of Justice last Sunday, St Lucian-born academic, Professor Eddy Ventose was added as a registered voter to the electoral list by the Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

Additionally, Grenadian Shireene Ann Mathlin-Tulloch, Montserratian Sharon Juliet Edgecombe-Miller and Russell, who brought a class action suit against the EBC late last year, were also added.

However, other CARICOM residents, who qualify under Sections 7 and 11 of the Representation of the People Act and who filled out the requisite Form 1, are yet to see their names on the voter’s list. (RA)