Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley is not yet sure how his newly-formed Alliance Party for Progress (APP) will run its campaign as he awaits guidance from election officials on how the process is to be managed.
But, he is also questioning if or how persons in isolation or quarantine would be allowed to vote in January 19, 2022, general election.
Speaking during a press conference today at the Opposition’s office in Worthing Corporate Centre, Atherley said he was awaiting word from the Electoral Department before it could be determined how the campaign would be run in a COVID-19 environment.
He again criticized the Mia Mottley-led Government for calling an election in the midst of a pandemic.
“This is one of the sad things. We have been talking about how we could possibly conduct a campaign in the context of this COVID thing but I repeat that I think it is absolutely callous, I think it is reckless, I think it is totally uncaring on the part of the Prime Minister and the Government to call an election in the middle of a pandemic of this nature.
“…I am not really in a position to give a full and proper response because the Electoral Department has not already as far as I know declared the context, the circumstances in which this election will take place. Now the Electoral Department manages these things. We have the health ministry which in this case of emergency has certain responsibilities making sure that things are done in a certain way and we have a COVID Monitoring Unit. I have not heard from any of those as to how we are going to go about the conduct of an election,” Atherley said.
“Obviously it is not business as usual. The Electoral Department prepares for elections. In a COVID environment, those preparations will have to be varied. Now I do not know how much notice they had that this election was coming down and therefore the limited time that is available to them I do not know how they can prepare. Parties have to be instructed as to how this election will take place.”
Atherley also raised concerns about whether people in isolation or quarantine due to COVID-19 would be given the opportunity to vote.
He maintained this was one of the challenges in holding an election during a pandemic.
“We have people who are confined to their houses under quarantine because they have been exposed. How do those people vote or do we deny them the privilege of a vote? Has anybody taken any of these things into consideration?” Atherley questioned. (RB)
