Officials from the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) addressed the media on January 1, 2022.
Chief Electoral Officer Angela Taylor
- Elections preparations are on point.
- We started preparing two years after the last one.
- Election clerks and officers have been published and they are being trained today.
- We are ready for Nomination Day.
- Bags are being packed with all of the information the candidates will need.
- The list of nomination centres has also been published.
- The only difference between this and others is that we are in a COVID-19 situation and have taken measures to ensure we are in compliance with the protocols.
- The COVID Monitoring Unit has produced a document for every interaction during the election.
- A separate team has been set up for COVID matters to take temperatures, sanitise hands, sanitise the polling booths after voting and police the lines.
- We have made every provision to ensure the COVID-19 protocols are complied with.
- There will be 541 polling stations.
- We encourage people to use lunch hours, so there is more voting during the day. This would reduce the numbers in the morning and the evening.
- Those who don’t have to work are being encouraged to come out during the day and leave the evening and morning periods for those who are going to work.
- Special provisions will be put in place for the elderly.
- If you are in the line by 6 p.m. you will be allowed to vote.
- The length of time it takes to vote will determine the time that election results are given.
Ronald Chapman, head of the COVID Monitoring Unit.
- People in home isolation are asked to stay at home.
- Those at Harrison Point facility or any facility are required to stay there.
- We understand that voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, but those persons are still highly infectious.
- We are asking persons if they are feeling ill to stay at home.
- If you are COVID-19 positive you will not be allowed to vote in this election.
- Those who may not recognise they are ill or may be asymptomatic, there are protocols in place at the polling stations.
- The isolation facilities are an extension of hospitals and people in hospital are not allowed to vote.
- If you are in the line and present with symptoms, elevated temperature etc., you won’t be turned away from voting.
- There won’t be any testing for COVID at the polling stations.
- There will be physical distancing and temperature will be taken inside the station.
- If the temperature is elevated, they will still be allowed to vote.
- Once that person has voted, the area will be sanitised.
- Officials in the polling station will be wearing personal protective equipment.
- There are many people in Barbados who do not know they have COVID and go out in public, we stand behind them in lines. The procedure is the same.
- The process will reduce risk, but allow people to vote.
Hal Gollop, lawyer and member of the EBC board
- Our legislation does not contemplate less than in-person voting.
- We have to take the decision that maintains the integrity of elections and reduce fraud.
- We should refrain from making a statement on this before the legal advisor to the commission gives an opinion.
Leslie Haynes QC, chairman EBC
- We are not saying that the law says people with COVID can’t vote.
- We are asking people not to come out to vote for the benefit of the many.
- There is no decree saying they cannot vote.
- The candidate list has always been published.
- It was previously published in the media, in the law and public libraries at the EBC and even in rum shops.
- The amendment to the Representation of the People Act means it must be published electronically.
- We have the balance the need to have a clean electoral list against certain things.
- You come down in favour of the option that reduces the mischief.
- The EBC is asking employers to give people extra time to vote.
