USVI Officials pictured here awaiting the August 4, 2018 results which was had two hours after the close of polls. Photo: VI CONSORTIUM

Permanent Secretary (ag), Ms Carolyn Stoutt-Igwe and Supervisor of Elections, Ms Juliette Penn displaying their Observer Passes. Photo: GIS

From left: Ms Stoutt-Igwe and Ms Juliette Penn with Deputy Supervisor of Elections, Ms Kevermay Douglas and Board of Elections Member, Ms Lydia Hendricks. Photo: GIS

Ms Stoutt-Igwe and Ms Juliette Penn with Former Member of Parliament in St Kitts-Nevis, Mr Cedric Liburd, who also observed the Elections. Photo: GIS

According to Ms Stoutt- Igwe, “...this is the level of efficiency that we are expecting for our next General Elections…We are therefore looking forward to Cabinet’s approval of the proposal when submitted and the House of Assembly’s (HoA) subsequent approval of the relevant amendments to the Act.”

The Virgin Island’s (VI) General Election is Constitutionally due by 2019, with both the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) and the Opposition Virgin Islands Party (VIP), beginning to transition to campaign mode—evidenced in the increased banter across the political divide.

Elections Machinery

Ms Stoutt-Igwe voiced her position in a Government Information Service (GIS) release, dated August 9, 2018.

Her utterances come on the heels of the delegation, officially observing the USVI’s Primary Elections in St Thomas, on August 4, 2018.

Her call for the House of Assembly’s (HoA) and Cabinet’s approval of a raft of recommendations and amendments to the elections laws, is the second such public pronouncement in recent months by Ms Stoutt-Igwe.

Earlier this year—during the House of Assembly’s, Standing Finance Committee’s examination of the draft budget estimates for the Deputy Governor’s Office, Ms Stoutt-Igwe had raised similar concerns.

Ms Stoutt-Igwe at the time told Committee members, the ‘VI Elections Machinery’ is hoping that they would be able to have a Consolidated Act, that includes all of the recommended amendments from the 2011 and 2015 General Elections by the end of the year.

She noted that it is very important that all staff and workers be well versed in the Elections Act, ahead of the scheduled General Elections.

E-Poll

Speaking to the recently concluded USVI Primary Elections, GIS reports Ms Stoutt-Igwe saying, it was an "enlightening experience...We observed areas in which we can improve our processes, including the e-poll books, for which we will now be making enquiries with ESS.”

She said that with the utilisation of the tabulators, the polls closed at 7:00 PM and the results were known by 9:00 PM.

Had it not been for the time taken to transport elections materials at the end of the polls, the results could have been released earlier, she noted.

Meanwhile, Supervisor of Elections, Juliette Penn—the other half of the VI Delegation—commented that the experience was great.

“It showed the many ways that the elections process can be more efficient, in particular with producing the results in a timelier manner."

She observed that "with the use of the machines, the long lines can also be minimised.”

USVI Visit

Earlier this year, the VI Office of the Supervisor of Elections, hosted two visits from Supervisor of Elections in the USVI, Ms Caroline F. Fawkes and Business Development Manager of Elections Systems and Software (ESS), Mr Willie G. Wesley, Jr.

During the first visit, Mr Wesley demonstrated the use of the tabulator to the staff of the Elections Office and senior officials in the Deputy Governor’s Office.

On his second visit, he demonstrated the use of the DS 200 as well as the AutoMark machine to Members of the House of Assembly.

During the latter visit, members were able to cast votes and obtain the results within a few minutes of the close of the poll.