ELECTORAL COMMISSION Press Release 07/02/2000
In early 1999 HE Governor, Mr Tony Abbott OBE, established an Elections Commission,
Chaired by Dr Howard Fergus CBE, to advise on the conduct of the next general election and any interim by -elections. The Commission's report was published on 3 June 1999.
A Government House Press Release on 17 September 1999 (copy attached) announced that, with the exception of Recommendation 1.4 and a small amendment to Recommendation 1.12, Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Montserrat had accepted the recommendations of the Elections Commission.
Recommendation 1.4 concerned the eligibility of Montserratians overseas, whose names are on the 1996 voters list and who intend to return to Montserrat to reside, to register to vote in the next election. The September Press Release indicated that the Government of Montserrat wished to add a period of residence on Montserrat, immediately prior to any election, to the criteria under which Montserratians now residents overseas would be able to cast a vote. After careful deliberation it has been accepted that it would be extremely difficult to put in place a workable and verifiable arrangement to establish such a period of residence. The Government of Montserrat has therefore decided not to accepted Recommendation 1.4 of the Election Commission's report. However, under existing legislation Montserratians presently overseas who return to the island to reside by a certain date, to be determined by the Electoral Registration Office, will be entitled to register to vote in the next election. These arrangements will be retained in any legislation introduced to give effect to the changes recommended by the Elections Commission.
ELECTORAL COMMISSION
On 3 June, HE The Governor, Mr Tony Abbott OBE, made public the report of the Elections Commission chaired by Dr Howard Fergus CBE which had been tasked with advising on the conduct of the next general election and interim by- elections. The report contained 12 recommendations of which minor amendments, have now been accepted by Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Montserrat.
The amendments concern:
Recommendation 1.12 where it was agreed that agents of candidates should be excluded from the polling booth but incapacitated voters should be accompanied by the Presiding Officer and one other official appointed by the Electoral Registration Office;
Recommendation 1.4 where the Government of Montserrat has proposed that a short period of residence should be added to the criteria for Montserratians overseas to be able to cast a vote. The length of this period of residence will be left open until after the Electoral Registration Office has been established and members of the Elections Commission have been consulted on whether or not the proposals put forward are workable. A minor amendment to the proposed declaration form for overseas voters was also agreed.
The next General Elections are constitutionally due in 2001
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