By Sue-Ann Wayow
TOBAGONIANS will decide who will lead them in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) as the voting begins in Tobago.
Polling stations are open from 6 am to 6 pm across the island as five political parties vie for 15 electoral districts.
From five political parties, 45 candidates will contest the THA elections, the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) has stated.
The two major parties, the People’s National Movement (PNM) led by Tracy Davidson-Celestine and the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) led by Watson Duke tied in the last THA general election taking six districts each. Fifteen seats were then created to avoid another tie.
Video at the polling station at the Montgomery Government School on Monday:
The PNM and the PDP will contest all 15 districts.
The Innovative Democratic Alliance (IDA) is contesting 13 of the 15 electoral districts, with no candidates vying for the electoral districts of Belle Garden/Glamorgan and Roxborough/Argyle.
The Class Action Reform Movement and Unity of the People political parties have each fielded one candidate in the electoral district of Buccoo/Mt Pleasant, which is the only electoral district being contested by five candidates.
There are no independent candidates contesting the elections.
EBC abandons pilot project
The lead up to the election did not come without promises from political parties in an attempt to woo voters as well as political controversy even from parties not contesting the election.
This was the case with the United National Congress (UNC) who raised the issue of a pilot process to incorporate the use of technology being implemented by the EBC in Tobago for the election. The Opposition UNC argued that the process was implemented without the Opposition’s consent and was a ploy to assist the PNM. The PDP also objected to the project.
The pilot project has been postponed, the EBC stated in a press release on Sunday.
The EBC stated that after meeting with various stakeholders on Saturday, it agreed that it will not move forward with its pilot project for parallel data collection at polling stations in the specified electoral districts of Scarborough/Mt Grace and Mt St George/Goodwood.
The EBC stated that the media and the various parties were invited for a demonstration of showing the simultaneous collection of data utilising a technology process within a mock polling station.
“This highlighted how the technology would work in tandem with the existing manual process and that there would be no change in that manual process,” the EBC stated.
The PDP did not attend maintaining their objection to the initiative.
The EBC stated, “In light of this objection and as the EBC remains a committed partner to our democratic process, the Commission decided to defer the introduction of this initiative. The Commission recognises that this initiative, though limited to two electoral districts in the first instance, could have provided more timely data to stakeholders and potentially could have informed plans for improved service to the electorate.”
“It is noteworthy that this collection of data utilising technology, in addition to the manual process is currently being used successfully in the Caribbean and other overseas jurisdictions. As the EBC prepares for the upcoming Local Government Elections in 2022, it will take the opportunity to meet with all stakeholders to discuss the advantages of this initiative,” the EBC added.
The EBC also reminded voters of conducting any illegal activity at polling stations such as consumption of liquor, accompaniment of banners, music etc and persuading voters to take a political side.
