ECJ Near Ready For Elections

Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) Professor Errol Miller, is assuring that the electoral machinery is near readiness, with only three of 16 critical tasks left to be completed.

Speaking at a press conference on December  7 at the ECJ headquarters in Kingston, Professor Miller informed that the outstanding tasks, which are 90 per cent complete, are the recruiting and training of Election Day workers, the training of Electronic Voter Identification and Ballot Issuing System (EVIBIS) technicians, and the training of polling station security assistants.

“These three tasks were close to 100 per cent but since the announcement of Election Day for December 29 there has been some fall out, chiefly among students,” he informed.

Professor Miller noted, however, that given the fact that applications for these three categories were oversubscribed, they will be at 100 per cent by Nomination Day.

He said that the Election Day workers also have to be vetted by the two major political parties and this process is at 50 per cent. “The Director of Elections  has given the names and particulars of Election Day workers to the political parties, who are now to make their responses,” he informed.

The ECJ Chairman further commended the Director of Elections, Orrette Fisher, and his staff, for the excellent they have been doing in getting the electoral machinery ready, given the fact that the first tranche of funds to prepare for elections was received on October 19, 2011.

“The Commission is also appreciative of the great response of persons to serve as Election Day workers, EVIBIS technicians and polling station security assistants and for the cooperation given to the Director of Elections by the security forces,” he said further.

Jamaicans will go to the polls on Thursday December 29, 2011.  Prime Minister the Hon. Andrew Holness, announced the date for the country’s 16th general election on Sunday (December 4). Nomination Day is Monday, December 12.

The total number of electors on the voters list as at November 30, 2011, is 1,648,036. Some 41,607 electors were added to the list, while 5,636 were deleted. The total number of electors on the previous voters list (May 31, 2011), was 1,612,065.