Parliamentary Representative for Central Kingstown Hon St Clair Leacock says with Sylvia Findlay as Supervisor of Elections, there will be no free and fair elections in the country.Leacock was at the time speaking at the NDP candlelight march and rally at Sion Hill on Wednesday evening.
The OAS in their final report Spoke about and recognized the professional work of the Supervisor of Elections, Mrs. Sylvia Findlay Scrubb, and of the staff of the Electoral Office, which effectively organized the General Elections in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The NDP has since filed election petition before the court which is scheduled to be heard on Friday 27th may 2016.
Concerns were also expressed that the post of Supervisor of Elections, while created by Constitutional mandate is a dependency of the Office of the Prime Minister. It was cited that such dependency could lead to perceptions regarding a lack of autonomy and independence.
In the days leading up to the elections, the Electoral Office, as was to be expected, was the center of much activity, underscoring the critical need for the public to be reassured that the staff operate in an independent and non-partisan manner which is devoid of any perception of political interference.
The NDP says the report validates their position that the elections were not free or fear, and that they are cheated out being in Government. Leacock said there will be no rest until the ULP is out of office, as he termed the Dr Ralph Gonsalves administration an unlawful regime.
The OAS stated that despite concerns, the Observers did not discern any fraudulent or other activities at the final count “which could have materially affected the outcome of the vote.”
He said the victory that was the NDP’s they could not enjoy at this point and told his party supporters that they must stand up and be counted now.
