By Robert A. Emmanuel
Ian Hughes has been officially appointed as the country’s newest Supervisor of Elections, filling a vacancy left by the retirement of Dame Lorna Simon, and will now take up the task of managing the upcoming by-election.
The Senate approved the resolution yesterday, in which tributes and congratulations were expressed by the senators to both Dame Lorna and Hughes.
Senator Samantha Marshall spoke glowingly about Dame Lorna’s outstanding public service.
“Many perhaps may only recall her in the position of Supervisor of Elections; I have known her to be an outstanding civil servant- one who has come up through the ranks and has gone to ranks and has to the level of holding one of the highest offices under the Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda,” she expressed.
The Senator also said that she expects the same level of professionalism and diligence from the newly appointed Supervisor.
“We look to the Supervisor of Elections to ensure that [elections] are all done fairly, freely and in the democratic way that is expected.
“Many will say that we still have more growth and that is expected, and I am sure that Mr Hughes will bring some ideas as to how we can accomplish more as a democratic society,” he said.
Senate President Alincia Williams-Grant also lauded Dame Lorna as an example for exemplary women leadership.
“It is very important that we pay tribute, and we allow other young women to understand and appreciate the value and the connection and the worth of our persons who have gone forward before, so I say thank you for your strength, courage, and being a trailblazer in so many ways,” the Senate President expressed.
She also said that Hughes, who previously served as the Commission’s Human Resource and Training Officer, has the managerial skills and electoral know-how to take over from his former boss.
“We know that you have the capacity and the experience to discharge the responsibility that is placed squarely on your shoulder as a constitutional responsibility as we have heard echoed here,” she said.
Meanwhile, Observer media spoke to Hughes about his recent appointment.
“I have been working in this process for a while—20 years starting from the mail room—and so I think my experience, knowledge, hard work, integrity that I bring to the position that it really isn’t a surprise that persons view me as the best person to take up the position,” Hughes said.
He expressed that he had large shoes to fill but believes that he was ready for the role, especially with his first task, which will be to manage the upcoming by-elections between presumed candidates Kelvin Simon and Senator Dwayne George.
“By-elections is similar to general elections; we have an excellent template, well-oiled machinery here at the Electoral Commission and we are in a state of readiness and preparedness … we have already submitted a budget and we have already been approved and it is now a matter of waiting for the date or the writ to be issued,” he said.
He also spoke about future ideas that he could bring to reform the electoral process in Antigua and Barbuda.
“We have done a lot regarding electoral reform since 2003 … [but] there is still room for electoral reform … one thing that comes to mind now is the counting of the votes in the polling station.
“As you know, at the end of the voting of election day, all of the boxes are bought to a central location where the Returning Officer counts all of the votes … in other countries within our region, the ballots are counted where the votes are cast, which is at that particular polling station, and so the results are submitted within an hour of close of poll,” he said.
He noted that regulations and legislation would need to be amended for the recommendation to be adopted.
