High marks for EOJ, EAC CAFFE praises groups on running of last October's general election

However, there were several areas which the organisation believes were below par.

"We came to the conclusion that the elections were overall fairly conducted and that although there were a number of irregularities and deficiencies, those were not sufficient to affect the choice of the people and overall, the result of the elections," said Dr. Lloyd Barnett, CAFFE Chairman.

He was speaking yesterday at a press conference at the Election Centre, Hope Road, St. Andrew, during which the organisation officially presented its report on the October election.

The absence or late arrival of election materials, the impeding of CAFFE volunteers by some EOJ election day workers, intimidation of voters, disruption of voting and inadequate physical facilities at polling stations were cited as the downfalls in the election.

CAFFE had nearly 1,800 volunteers posted at numerous polling stations across the island.

According to the report, several presiding officers and poll clerks appeared to be unfamiliar with the procedures for conducting the poll and there were far too many instances where polling divisions were clustered in one location.

"This contributed to confusion, congestion and disorderly conduct and the discomfort of electors," it said.

The report listed 184 cases of irregularities related to election materials, 30 instances where CAFFE observers were impeded and 94 cases of 'mix up' with names on the voters' list. It said 22 election day workers were harassed, 41 voters intimidated, and 29 persons prevented from voting. There was also the problem of some polling stations being inaccessible to disabled persons.

CAFFE made 12 recommendations to further improve the election procedures. Among them, the reinstitution of the programme for the distribution of voter identification cards, the inspection of polling stations to determine their suitability before designating them as polling stations and proper communication systems for security personnel based at these stations.

The observer group also provided suggestions to be adopted at the close of polls and proposed that the pilot project for testing the electronic voting system in St. Andrew Eastern be carried out in several polling divisions with different geographic, social and demographic conditions.