EBC: Change potentially coming to electoral process

Chairman of the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) Leslie Haynes Q.C. has suggested that changes could be made to the electoral process following Wednesday’s polls, given the unique challenges presented by having an election in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic.

He gave that assurance against the background of calls for systems to be put in place to allow COVID-19 positive persons in isolation to vote.

During a media briefing on Monday, Haynes said that, as has been the case after all general elections, a review will be carried out to determine what recommendations can be made for future polls.

Although not saying what some of those recommendations were likely to be based on the current COVID-19 pandemic, he said the review will be especially important, as he implied that several options would be put forward.

“After every election, the EBC carries out a post-mortem. The post-mortem that will be carried out after this election will perhaps be, because of the particular circumstances of this election, one of the most important post-mortems that we have had in relation to general elections over the years,” Haynes told reporters.

“COVID-19 is not something, I dare say, that the Commission anticipated, and the protocols being enforced, but of course, unusual things happen. So that yes, the way the post-mortem will be carried out will depend on what happens on Election Day, what happened on special polling day.

“Rest assured that all options will be put on the table, and then those options will be reviewed to determine whether they are practical, whether they are reasonable, how costly they are, [among other factors],” the EBC chairman explained.

Several political pundits, residents and attorneys have insisted that the Government and the EBC find a way to allow COVID-19 positive persons to exercise their franchise, with some suggesting electronic voting.

However, Haynes made it clear on Monday that was not permissible under the Emergency Management Act.

“Let me say clearly that the role and function of the Electoral and Boundaries Commission as set out in our Constitution is the administration and conduct of free and fair elections in Barbados. The Commission carries out that function according to the laws of Barbados. In other words, the Commission does not make laws. Neither does the Commission change any laws. It can only operate within the confines and boundaries of those laws.

“The reason COVID-19 patients in isolation are prevented from voting on polling day is solely because of the COVID-19 directive currently enforced under the Emergency Management Act, which prohibits those persons from leaving isolation for any reason. The Commission is therefore bound by that law,” he explained.

Haynes added that the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit will have members on standby, “so if there are any unusual circumstances that we did not anticipate we will call them immediately and receive their advice”. (MM)