It is of interest that, hand in hand with the coming into effect of the Anguilla Constitution (Amendment) Order 2019 on Tuesday, May 14, that a series of consultations on the draft Elections Bill 2019 began the same day at St. Augustine’s Anglican Church at East End.
But, in fact, both constitutional and electoral reform constituted two pillars of national importance and development that were under consideration for many years by successive Governments – only to be finally brought to fruition by the current Anguilla United Front Administration, through the Ministry of Home Affairs. The reform efforts also came to a head with the help of the Constitutional and Electoral Committee led by retired High Court Judge, Justice Don Mitchell.
The above-mentioned consultative meeting on the Elections Bill was presided over by the Minister of Home Affairs and Constitutional and Electoral Reform, Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge; her Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Chanelle Petty Barrett; and the Supervisor of Elections, Ms. Aurjul Wilson. Mrs. Petty Barrett took the lead in comprehensibly explaining the provisions of the Bill to the members of the public at the meeting.
and Ms. Aurjul Wilson
Notwithstanding the small turnout, as is sometimes usually the case with public consultations, it was an interesting session with many searching questions put forward by a number of persons. The order and camaraderie displayed at the meeting is thought to have set the stage and discipline for the other consultations to be held, in due course, in the middle and western areas of Anguilla on dates to be announced later.
The relatively large Bill covers such areas as the functioning of the Central Elections Office; Electoral Districts; Registration of Voters; Arrangements for Elections; Election Petitions; Election Offences; and Miscellaneous Provisions.
It is expected that the periods of public consultation, amendments and enactment for the Elections Act, will have to be finalized without much delay to be in time for both the district and at-large elections due to be held in the early part of 2020.
