“One thing I want to make clear, and I think there is enough time for it to happen with elections being on June 8, they better have observers here on this territory fast. I take nothing to chance,” Hon Fraser said while addressing the campaign launch of the VIP’s Eight District candidate Mr McLloyd O. Walters in Parham Town, East End on May 19, 2015. Photo: VINO

Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party Honourable Julian Fraser, RA (R3) has made a call for the presence of election observers at the June 8, 2015 polls and has also challenged the Commissioner of Police David Morris to have unbiased police officers at polling stations throughout the territory. Photo: VINO

According to Hon Fraser, there is a situation where the Supervisor of Elections (Ms Juliette Penn, in photo) is saying that a voter’s registration card, even though the law says it’s not necessary, is required for persons to vote. Photo: GIS

The call for observers

“One thing I want to make clear, and I think there is enough time for it to happen with elections being on June 8, they better have observers here on this territory fast. I take nothing to chance,” Hon Fraser said while addressing the campaign launch of the VIP’s Eight District candidate Mr McLloyd O. Walters in Parham Town, East End on May 19, 2015.

According to Hon Fraser, there is a situation where the Supervisor of Elections is saying that a voter’s registration card, even though the law says it’s not necessary, is required for persons to vote. “Then I am hearing you need a photo ID which no law prescribes for, then I am hearing that oh if you don’t have a photo ID or voters’ registration card it's ok I’ll take care of you. Well which one is it?”

Hon Fraser said he was the one from the get go who has been saying that there need not have any changes to the practices that were exhibited in the elections of 2011 in that of 2015’s. “If you are going to do anything start right after the general elections which is coming up now I have no problem with a voter’s registration being required but don’t put a semblance of confusion in the minds of anyone,” said Hon Fraser.

The 2011 General Election was observed by a Joint Observer Mission invited by the then Governor William Boyd McCleary. The observer team had concluded that there was nothing untoward- unconstitutional, illegal or otherwise-that took place, which could be construed as having a significant influence on the outcome of the elections. “We were satisfied with how the entire process was conducted. In the circumstances the Mission wishes to affirm that the will of the people of the British Virgin Islands was fairly and freely expressed in an open democratic process during the national elections 2011," Ambassador Rudolph Collins had stated.

The Joint Observer Mission had included two teams representing the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Its role was to observe the VI elections and to write a report on its findings.

Required identification confusion

It is the contention of Hon Fraser that many eligible voters do not have a photo identification which is a drivers’ license and/or a passport. “But who can afford a passport anymore, so that’s out of the question. They have a lot of people who can’t drive! You know how many people don’t have a photo ID and are eligible to vote! This is a trick and I am not going to fall for it,” stated Hon Fraser.

He vowed to represent the rights of each voter in the territory as the VIP is a party of the people and if anyone suffers it makes the VIP angry. “We better get observers here because we do not trust anybody.”

The Virgin Islands Party Chairman also alleged that during the 2011 election, there was a specific officer who had turned a blind eye on some clandestine moves at polling station/s.

Appeal to the COP

“So I am appealing tonight to the Commissioner of Police to make sure that he does not send any political police down in my district or any district. What I am doing tonight is I am appealing to him and as it gets close to that day I will not be appealing to him anymore, he will hear,” said Hon Fraser.

According to Hon Fraser, the NDP has been mastering the shenanigans at the polls over the years, something he says has to stop. He told his candidates that it’s important that they fight for what is theirs as nothing is going to fall in their laps.

Intimidation

Turning his attention to an issue that has been a voiced concern among civil servants throughout the territory, that they are not to be seen attending public political rallies, Hon Fraser labelled such an alleged move of the NDP Government as an act of intimidation.

“Wherever you go the civil servants telling you they can’t come out to rallies, political rallies. I mean, where is it written in what law that they can’t come out to political rallies?” he questioned.

“Intimidation! That should be a crime. You cannot intimidate others,” he said, adding that this act must be stopped as he has reached the point where he has stopped talking to public servants as he is very concerned about their future. “Some of them are courageous and they would stand up and talk to you but I feel bad because I don’t want them to lose their jobs because of me,” she said.

“This culture has to change, the culture of intimidation by a group of individuals influenced by their (friends) to abuse our people… and just because I feel in my heart that my duty is to protect you the people they call me names,” stated Hon Fraser.