Voters still unable to get national identification cards

Registered voters in St Kitts are still unable to get their National Identification Cards one month after the Attorney General and minister responsible for the electoral office, Sen Vincent Byron gave that assurance.

The opposition St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) had also mounted a demonstration outside the St Kitts and Nevis Electoral Office in Basseterre to protest continued irregularities on May 29, 2019.

During the last two weeks, registered voters continue to complain that officers in the Electoral Office in St Kitts have informed them that “the machine is still down. It is still not working.”

Byron said at a May 20, 2019 press conference that the necessary measures were being put in place to ensure that the processing of National Identification cards at the Electoral Office, as part of the voter registration process, can resume in June.

“Printing machines can be purchased immediately. No amount of software is necessary that cannot be made available and put into full use. Why should it take the Team Unity Government over 8 months to be telling persons that ‘the machine is not working’,” said West Basseterre MP, Hon Konris Maynard during the protest.

“To vote your need a government-issued ID Card. Some of our senior citizens who do not have a valid passport because they no longer travel, or a valid Social Security Card, possess only the National ID cards, hence they need it to be presented when they turn up at a voting booth on Election Day,” said Dr Drew, Labour Party chairman.

Deputy Political Leader and Parliamentary Representative for St Christopher 2 (Central Basseterre), Hon Marcella Liburd told reporters the SKNLP have written to the Supervisor of Elections, Mr Elvin Bailey and held meetings but their concerns have not been addressed and the constitutional rights of persons are being infringed.