By Azara Lavia
The United Progressive Party (UPP) has reversed its earlier pronouncement to legally challenge the decision taken by Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) to conduct a voter identification card replacement programme instead of a complete re-registration exercise.
Initially, ABEC had planned a complete re-registration exercise to address the expiration of over 40,000 voter ID cards in March 2024.
However, the commission later decided that a replacement programme would be more effective in serving the electoral process.
During the UPP’s General Council meeting on May 19, its members voted to oppose the reversal, citing concerns about voter list integrity and alleged voter transfers by Prime Minister Gaston Browne.
The UPP’s legal team, comprising lead attorney Kendrickson Kentish, Sherrie-Ann Bradshaw, and Justin Simon KC, officially announced the decision at a press conference held at Freedom Hall on Monday.
“A decision has been taken that the party will not be launching an immediate challenge to the validation of voter ID cards taking place today,” Kentish said as he explained the reason behind the decision
“We believe that the energy and focus have to be on ensuring that no voter is disenfranchised in this process, and that the whole exercise will be fair to the voters and to the political parties involved. We will be observing the process, we will be taking instructions from those involved in the process, the scrutineers, and if it is that there are serious irregularities in the card validation process, the United Progressive Party will be taking legal action.”
In agreement with Kentish, Attorney at Law Sherrie-Ann Bradshaw said that a complete re-registration exercise may not be the best approach at this time, however she believes the organisation and the general public should be calling for legislative reform.
“We did come to the conclusion that it may not be in the best interest to, at this present moment, deal with a court case regarding the re-registration. To add further, when one would look at the representation of the People’s Act, it is not mandatorily called for on the legislation and I do believe the absence of that and the expressed stated of that, that is something that is really needed for legislative reform”. The party and the members of the public should agitate for such reform and clarity. It, in hindsight, is the best thing to do in terms of having a re-registration every ten years. That is the most accurate and best way to clean up any electoral list”
Weighing in on the team’s final conclusion is Justin Simon KC who cites the two main factors in which the decision was made.
“Two things we had to look at very seriously; one, the court process would take quite some time, given our backlog, given the kind of evidence that we would have to present in court, and secondly, the cost of a re-registration exercise had to be taken into account, because at the end of the day it is the taxpayers who are going to have to meet that cost and it would be exorbitant.
“In light of those two factors, and in light of the fact that the validation of the voter cards would allow for persons to submit their expired cards, for them to give proof of address, and we having scrutineers there to ensure that the process is duly followed”.
This decision marks a shift from the UPP’s stance in May, when party members voted to oppose the replacement programme, citing concerns about voter list integrity and alleged voter transfers by Prime Minister Gaston Browne.
The UPP’s leader, Jamale Pringle said that a case stemming from that incident is already before the court.
“We all know that, in addition, too many deceased people remain on the voters list; the Prime Minister himself, admitted to some highly questionable transfers ahead of January 2023 General election. I want to remind the public that the party and it’s representatives took several actions to hold the system accountable, Brother Allister Thomas, the caretaker for St John’s City West, made an attempt to secure a copy, of the picture list used on election day and ABEC refused; that matter is now before the court.”
Despite withdrawing the legal challenge, the UPP has emphasised its commitment to closely monitor the voter ID card replacement exercise.
The party has made it clear that they reserve the right to pursue legal action if any irregularities are detected during the process.
The voter identification card replacement programme has now commenced across all 17 constituencies in Antigua and Barbuda.
