The pilot initiative by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) to test out an electronic election management programme in tomorrow Tobago House of Assembly elections yesterday received two thumbs down from the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and United National Congress (UNC).
PDP leader Watson Duke was invited by the EBC to view the process yesterday and refused to attend.
Both the PDP and the UNC subsequently registered their objection to the test phase, saying that it could interfere with the electoral process despite reassurances from the EBC that it did not interfere with the manual voting process.
In a media release posted to the PDP’s social media page yesterday, the party reiterated its initial position that it rejected the “introduction of this new technology” for tomorrow’s elections.
“We believe that it is careless and high-handed. Although the EBC should be an independent body, its public perception is one of bias,” the PDP said.
The party said it had to protect the integrity of this election, especially as the Prime Minister refused their request for international and independent observers to oversee it.
“The PDP cannot agree with the introduction of the system at this time,” the party said.
Similarly, the UNC opposed the use of the technology, saying in a media release that the party sought to register its “strongest possible objection to the EBC’s unilateral proposal.”
“It is absolutely unacceptable for the EBC to proceed with such an important measure, on the eve of an election no less, without consultation with the official Opposition,” the UNC said.
The UNC is not fielding any candidate in Tobago for this election.
However, it noted, “There can be no justifiable reason to exclude the Parliamentary Opposition from discussion of these new electoral processes, which may be introduced throughout Trinidad and Tobago.”
The UNC listed nine major concerns, including what data was being collected, who was collecting it, the security of the data, who had access to it and how long it was going to be stored. The UNC also called for an urgent meeting with the EBC.
Since last month, the EBC has been defending allegations and questions about the proposed electronic process. It said then that the voting process and procedures being utilised in all polling stations in Tobago tomorrow will be the same as in previous elections.
The EBC said the new technology was to run parallel to the existing method of vote tally in two electoral districts and in no way was the traditional system being replaced.
The EBC said then that it expected the data collected in this project would give the commission the ability to generate its post-election reports more expeditiously and would not change or interfere with the voting process.
It plans to introduce the pilot project in the 13 polling stations in the electoral districts of Scarborough/Mt Grace and Mt St George/Goodwood.