By Faith Edwards
THE United National Congress (UNC) campaign manager for San Fernando East, Wendy Lewis, is calling for the immediate removal of the returning officer assigned to the constituency, citing multiple irregularities in the handling of special voters’ ballots.
Speaking at a UNC press briefing at the party’s headquarters in Chaguanas on Tuesday, Lewis gave a detailed account of events.
She said she was present in her dual capacity as special polling agent for the UNC and campaign manager for San Fernando East candidate John Michael Alibocus.
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Lewis said she arrived at the office of returning officer David Battoo around 8 a.m. and was told she would be called in at 9 am.
She said, “I was led to a row of tables with Mr David Battoo to the returning officer, two independent officers, three assistants who weren’t named, Mr Michael Mohammed, representative for the People’s National Movement (PNM) and Mr Grell, a representative for the Patriotic Front (PF).”
According to Lewis, Mohammed stated that he attended the opening of the ballot boxes on Saturday, April 12. Lewis claimed she was not informed of this procedure and questioned Battoo, who responded that it was the responsibility of the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) to notify the relevant parties. Danielle Grell of the PF also said he had not been notified, which meant only the PNM was present for the opening of the boxes.
Lewis said the group was then advised of the administrative process and shown a list of 390 special voters. Mr. Mohammed left the room at approximately 9am.
She said the procedure involved initialing 390 ballot papers in alphabetical order, cross-referenced with the list of voters. The ballots were then placed in small brown envelopes, sealed into larger ones, bundled in sets of 25, and secured with elastic bands before being placed in a box.
The process, according to Lewis, took approximately four hours and was completed by 12pm, at this point Battoo requested a blank sheet of paper to be used as a seal for the box. Lewis said she immediately objected, stating that the proper procedure required a completed A45 form to be signed by all present to validate the process.
She claimed Battoo initially said the A45 form was unavailable but one was eventually produced from a box at the side of the room. After signing the form, she alleged Battoo refused to seal the box in the presence of observers. When asked about the unused ballot books, she said Battoo indicated they would be sent “up the road separately,” referring to the EBC office.
Lewis argued that for transparency, the unused ballot books should also have been sealed in the same box.
She said a male staff member, who arrived at 12 noon, reportedly attempted to justify separating the ballot books from the sealed box. Lewis and Gill were then dismissed at 1 pm.
Lewis said she contacted UNC attorneys and a representative at the EBC to report the incident. Around 3pm, she received a call from Battoo asking her to return to witness the sealing of the box.
She said, “I called him back and asked what sense does that make? You asked us to sign the A45 form under false pretense insinuating that you are about to seal the box, which you were never allowed to take place.”
In a WhatsApp message sent to Battoo, Lewis reiterated her refusal to return, pointing to the two-hour gap between signing and sealing. She also acknowledged Battoo’s apology, where he admitted being “a bit flustered.”
“I am not surprised by what took place,” Lewis said, referencing her prior experience with the special voters’ process.
Lewis said, “The call on behalf of my candidate, Mr John Michael Alibocus, is for the immediate removal of the returning officer, Mr. Battoo, and to scrap and redo the process entirely, given the evidential irregularities.”
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Following Lewis’ statement, Opposition MP Roodal Moonilal raised concerns pointing to Alana Frederick, who was allegedly appointed as a presiding officer by the EBC while openly supporting the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM).
According to the UNC, it was only after a video surfaced showing Frederick in a vehicle with a PNM flag, engaged in a conversation with PNM candidate Foster Cummings and chanting PNM slogan, that EBC took action.
The party claims that despite her longstanding political affiliations, Frederick had been appointed to serve in previous elections.
Moonilal is now demanding answers from EBC CEO Fern Narcis-Scope, who the UNC says has a close relationship with PNM officials, particularly Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly.
The UNC is also questioning whether appointments like Frederick’s reflect a deeper culture of political influence within the electoral system.
Another official flagged by the UNC is returning officer Kathleen Watley, whose conduct was also raised in a letter sent by the party to the EBC.
