Barbudans come to Antigua to vote

Barbudans have officially begun coming to Antigua to vote in Wednesday’s general election with the help of the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS).
NODS director, Philmore Mullin, told OBSERVER media yesterday that travels to Antigua began over the weekend with seven individuals by plane. Twenty-five to 30 more are to arrive by sea.
Mullin said that the majority of Barbudans are coming to Antigua by boat, and only a few that are unable to travel by boat will be coming by plane.
Yesterday, approximately 50 passengers came to Antigua on one of the boat trips. Two boats are to leave Barbuda to Antigua each day starting yesterday and including the Wednesday morning of the election.
 “Accommodation is being put in place for these individuals. We will be catering for them in terms
of meals. There will also be transportation to take them back to Barbuda,” said NODS public relations officer, Midcie Francis, to OBSERVER media yesterday.
The plan is to have arrangements in place for individuals who will be travelling with their children and other dependents because they have no one in Barbuda to keep them.
 “We are hoping to start transporting individuals back to Barbuda the day after the election. I’m not sure if plans are in place to transport individuals the same day of the election after they’ve voted,” Francis stated.
(More in today’s Daily Observer)