By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ST ANNE’S MP Adrian White said Family Island Affairs and Works Minister Clay Sweeting should resign after last week’s local government elections, which experienced challenges such as ballot errors.

“The execution was sloppy and inconsistent with a confidence-inspiring democratic exercise,” Mr White said. “Confusion abounded as people offered and ran who ought to have been ineligible. There were delays in balloting at several polling stations.”

“More than a week after polling, official results are still not available. Some swearing-in ceremonies have been postponed indefinitely, and the acting Parliamentary Commissioner’s explanation of challenged circumstances does very little to remedy the obvious blunder.”

“Clearly, the rushed, poorly organised, chaotic affair is unbecoming of a nation that claims to value the democratic process.”

On Tuesday, acting Parliamentary Registration Commissioner Arthur Taylor rejected claims that his institution was unprepared for the recent local government elections.

Mr Taylor insisted that only three polling divisions –– in Bimini, Harbour Island, and North Eleuthera — encountered problems, which he primarily attributed to bad weather. He said ferries could not operate that morning and transport ballot boxes due to heavy fog.

He admitted ballot errors in polling divisions nine and ten in Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera.

Mr White noted that a Cabinet minister once resigned because of mishandling the local government electoral process.

In 2008, former FNM Lands and Local Government Minister Sidney Collie resigned after a court determined the proper processes were not followed in the run-up to the local government elections.

In his statement to Parliament at the time, Mr Collie said: “It is central to our system of Cabinet government that Ministers should accept responsibility for ministerial action or inaction, so having regard to the order of the mistakes made in this matter, I have decided that it would be in the best interest of the people and the Government for me to relinquish the office of Minister of Lands and Local Government.”

Last night, Mr Sweeting did not substantively address complaints about the local government election. He said the Department of Local Government fulfilled its responsibilities, held meetings with the Parliamentary Registration Department, and provided assistance.

He challenged Mr White to substantiate his claim that there has been an indefinite postponement of swearing-in exercises.

He noted that the Local Government Act allows a two-week window for elected officials to be sworn in. He assured that all swearing-in exercises would be carried out within the timeframe prescribed by law.

“If Mr White were to be in touch with reality, much less local government, he would know that elections were held less than a week ago,” he said.

“I would remind Mr White that the conduct of both local government and general elections are the responsibility of the Parliamentary Registration Department. The governing legislation for electoral processes is the Parliamentary Elections Act.”

“The Parliamentary Registration Department compiles the register, ensures ballots are printed, and that ballot boxes are prepared and distributed to all returning officers. The Department of Local Government recommends polling locations to ensure voters have adequate access to the poll. I can assure the Bahamian public that my ministry went above and beyond the call of duty and fulfilled every task assigned throughout the overall electoral process.”