Opposition Leader Godwin Friday says he has met with Supervisor of Elections Dora James to discuss issues related to voting in the Southern Grenadines in the upcoming general elections.
The Southern Grenadines is in focus as hundreds of people from that constituency remain displaced because of the passage of Hurricane Beryl on July 1.
James has noted the election law that a person can only register to vote in a constituency if that person has been living in that constituency for the six months leading up to the election.
The suggestion is that first-time voters who were displaced by the cyclone and have been living outside of the Southern Grenadines would not be allowed to register or vote there in the election.
Speaking at a campaign event in Barrouallie on Friday, the opposition leader said that his New Democratic Party (NDP) was taking steps to ensure that it wins the general election, adding that the party had put together “an unbeatable team”.
“You have to make that a reality by coming out and voting. We have done what we can and are continuing to prepare our team of people to monitor the elections, to be in the polling stations.”
Friday said he had a meeting earlier that day with the supervisor of elections.
He said he had requested the meeting “to clarify this matter about registering persons, whether you have to register on the mainland or in the Southern Grenadines, or how the people in the Southern Grenadines are going to be able to vote when elections are called and they’re still displaced up here”.
Friday said he also discussed with James other things about the conduct of the election.
“And the discussion went well. And where she couldn’t provide answers, she said that she would get the answers and provide them back to us. But the point that I’m making to you is this: we are leaving no stone unturned,” Friday said.
He said that on his way to the meeting, a young man had asked him to promise to “do everything possible, leave no space, for ULP to do anything that is going to subvert the will of the people in the next election.
“And we are doing that, my dear people,” Friday said, adding that the NDP has the team to win the election and the plan to take the country forward.
“… we talk about the four pillars. You have heard me talk about them. It’s not a mystery.
“All we say, we’re going to rebuild agriculture, we’re going to rebuild the blue economy, and we’re going to make tourism a real dynamo in the economy of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We will do those things…” Friday said.