By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

CONFUSION characterised the distribution of the voter register at the Parliamentary Registration Department yesterday, leaving some Free National Movement candidates without copies and raising concerns about a potential disadvantage ahead of Thursday’s advanced polls.

Several FNM candidates were seen waiting outside the department after electricity went off around 1pm following a fire alarm, halting the process.

FNM legal adviser Michael Scott, KC, said the Parliamentary Commissioner had indicated the registers would be ready for collection at 11am, including the advanced poll register, overseas register, and national register. However, he said some FNM members received only one copy instead of all three.

“This place is mired in confusion,” he said, warning that if the situation is not resolved, the country will not be in a position to have a proper election on May 12th.

Mr Scott also questioned the timing of the fire alarm on the day the certified voter register was due to be distributed.

“I don't know whether that's an actual fire alarm or a faux fire alarm,” he said. “There's no explanation being offered, but this is disturbing, because there seems to be some sort of attempt almost unconsciously to as it were, interfere, impede the electoral process.”

He further raised concerns about the fixed register system, noting that the previous system required voters to re-register every five years, allowing invalid entries to be removed.

The FNM said it had heard that some Progressive Liberal Party members had already received their registers.

Michael Foulkes, FNM candidate for Golden Gates, said he was among those who left without receiving copies.

“A number of us left without getting registers,” Mr Foulkes said. “We now learn that apparently, PLP candidates got theirs. And this is a very, very serious matter, because it puts us and every other candidate in this election that's not a PLP candidate at a truly unfair disadvantage.”

“It's truly unfair because now they have the ability to go through the advanced poll registers that they now have and start working on contacting these voters when we don't have that ability.”

At one point, FNM Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright and Parliamentary Commissioner Harrison Thompson had a heated exchange, with Mr Cartwright telling the commissioner the situation was troubling.

Mr Thompson confirmed that yesterday was the official publication day of the voter register and said candidates from the FNM, PLP, and Coalition of Independents had been collecting copies since the morning.

He rejected suggestions that the fire alarm was suspicious, saying it was an emergency that is under investigation. He also assured the public that the integrity of the voting process would be upheld.

Mr Thompson said the register is backed up and that all candidates will receive their copies.