PNP calls for transparency and fairness in special services voting today
Toriann Ellis / Our Today
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The People’s National Party (PNP) is drawing attention to troubling anomalies in the arrangements for election day workers, police, and military, which will take place today, Friday, August 29.
This exercise allows election day workers, members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) to cast their ballots ahead of the General Election on September 3.
“The party has received reports that a number of police officers assigned to non-geographic formations such as Chaplaincy, TCND (Transnational Crime and Narcotics Division), and the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) have had their polling stations changed to Kingston, despite having previously voted in rural parishes across the island for their entire careers,” the PNP said.
The PNP, in a statement, noted that this arrangement means that officers who have consistently voted in places like South St James, South Manchester, and other constituencies must now travel to Kingston in order to exercise their constitutional right. Many are unaware of this change, and failure to travel could result in their disenfranchisement.
“The PNP finds this deeply concerning. Those who risk their lives daily to serve and protect should not face unnecessary obstacles to cast their vote. We urge the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) and the JCF to clarify the situation immediately, ensure that affected personnel are properly informed, and implement measures to prevent disenfranchisement,” the PNP said.
The party stated that the integrity of Jamaica’s electoral system must be safeguarded at all times. “The PNP stands firmly in defence of free, fair, and accessible elections, where every eligible voter has a fair chance to participate, without confusion, inconvenience, or undue hardship.”
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