Concerns about virus may have influenced voters to stay away from polls

Barbadians cast their ballots on Wednesday in the country’s first general elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic that, from most indications, saw a low voter turnout and concerns of varying kinds being expressed by two political leaders.

While there was no word from the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) on official voter turnout, reports from various constituencies indicated that many Barbadians had stayed away from the polls.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who arrived at Eden Lodge Primary School in the St Michael North constituency just after 12.30 p.m. to exercise her franchise,  said it appeared as if some Barbados Labour Party (BLP) supporters may have been worried about coming out to vote because of COVID-19 considerations.

“I am a little concerned that the labour party vote is still slow coming out and therefore I am going to be requesting that they redouble their efforts,” she said at the time.

“Obviously, there are some concerns across the area with respect to different things pertaining to COVID or with people coming out. This election is going to be recognised as perhaps one of the most important since Independence and it is in the people’s hands to decide to do what they want to do, but we will have to get our vote out, the labour party vote out, and we will work on that.”

The Prime Minister, who noted that COVID-19 protocols were in strict effect and people did not have to worry, said it was important that people turn out to vote “because failing to vote means that you might end up with a situation that you really didn’t want”.

The Prime Minister also promised to look into concerns expressed on social media that several BLP supporters attending the party’s final mass meeting in Bay Street on Tuesday night, were observed on the live stream not wearing masks.

“I certainly saw most people with masks, and if you didn’t I would be prepared to just look at it,” she told reporters.

In another section of the large St Michael constituency, head of the Alliance Party for Progress (APP) and former Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley cast his vote at Springer Memorial School and afterward reported that some supporters had complained about the long wait to vote.

“I am getting complaints from some of my people who say the process was taking rather long…people getting very frustrated in the line,” Bishop Atherley told Barbados TODAY.

However, he said his personal voting experience was problem-free with very few people in line at the time he turned up.

“The polling stations in St Michael Central, there was a fairly steady trickle…at Combermere in the early hours of the morning. The other polling stations I went to in St Michael Central were rather modest,” Atherley stated.

He did express concern that people were being transported to the polls in packed vehicles, which could cause concerns related to the spread of COVID-19, even as authorities tried to ensure the voting process adhered to strict protocols.

“I am seeing that my opponents are looking to transport people by the carloads and I do not know what level of security is being taken to ensure that the people are not infected,” the APP leader contended.

A total of 266,330 people were registered to vote in Wednesday’s polls, the first for the island since it became a republican state last November.

Less than 48 hours before Barbadians were due to go to the polls, an injunction was filed in the High Court to have the vote called off based on the fact that eligible voters among more than 5 000 Covid-19 positive individuals in isolation and quarantine would not be allowed to leave their homes or isolation facilities to vote.

The action, filed by attorney Lalu Hanuman on behalf of Philip Catlyn of the Barbados Sovereignty Party, was dismissed by Madame Justice Cicely Chase who ruled that the High Court had no jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter.

The Electoral and Boundaries Commission had indicated that COVID-19 patients in isolation were prevented from voting on polling day because of the COVID-19 directive currently enforced under the Emergency Management Act, which prohibits those persons from leaving isolation for any reason.

A total of 108 candidates from seven parties and nine independents contested the polls which political scientists see as a straight fight between the BLP and Democratic Labour Party (DLP).
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb