Any evidence that points to voter manipulation in today’s St John by-election will get the attention of the law.
That’s according to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart.
He was responding to reports that there would be “handouts and paying out of money to get votes”.
“I heard it again this morning anecdotally,” Stuart said, “and I am not surprised. I think the threats were being made by people on the other side that they would be trying to thow money out on election day. If any evidence that is concrete becomes available to me, I will certainly try to ensure that the law is involved and take its course. But this is of a piece that we are accustomed to from the Barbados Labour Party.”
But Dale Marshall, campaign manager for Barbados Labour Party, distanced his party from the reports.
“The very notion that that (voters being paid) could be happening is simply ludicrous,”?Marshall said.
“The Babados Labour Party has run a very modest campaign. It has been a campaign which I think everyone has recognised has been devoid of any fanfare [and] any razzmatazz. On the other hand, the Democratic Labour Party has had extravaganzas costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, they have had huge platforms and have spent a tremendous amount of money in this campaign.
Marshall said the BLP “will not now nor at any time be associated with those kinds of abhorrent and illegal practices”.
