By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT - The Democratic National Alliance has criticised the FNM government for not providing sufficient notice of its sudden decision to allow Advanced Polling in the Family Islands.

"After originally announcing four weeks ago that Family Island constituencies would not be allowed to participate in the Advanced Polling scheduled for May 1, the FNM government has secretly changed this position in what appears to be an attempt to disfranchise voters from the non-governing parties," the party said.

Public announcements were aired on ZNS radio on Monday explaining where Advanced Polling will take place throughout the Bahamas.

Mario Cartwright, DNA candidate for Long Island, was outraged by the sudden change.

"When I first found out that Family Islanders were not included in the new rules, I considered it the second hand treatment we have always been subjected to under the FNM and PLP governments.

"But when I found out just three working days before Advanced Polling that the decision had been reversed, and I would not have time to submit names or make arrangements for my poll workers to participate, I immediately knew that this was a desperate and deceptive act".

The DNA claims the FNM planned to "sneak in" thousands of Family Island votes for itself, while leaving other parties little or no time to plan accordingly.

"This reflects the desperation of a governing party that realises it will not even win more than 10 seats in the forthcoming election," the party said.