Providenciales, TCI, October 31, 2016 – A major blunder was exposed on the weekend after the Premier had to recall the December 5 election date to issue a new date and now national voting will take place on December 15.
It appears no one, except the Elections Office picked up on a discrepancy in timing… and it meant that that office did not have the requisite days to prepare for the General Elections according to Elections Ordinance.
The Governor in a media statement Saturday night admitted to the embarrassing error and said in consultation with the Premier a new date was to be selected and it was; at the PNP Rally on Saturday night December 15 2016 was presented as the alternate.
Reaction to the change was swift, in many cases harsh and for most speaking to Magnetic Media, shocking… the leader of the PNP, Dr Rufus Ewing was called ‘incompetent’ by the Leader of the PDM, Sharlene Robinson and threatened with legal action by former premier, Michael Misick.
There was a lot of blame for the blunder and on Sunday, an urgent press conference was called by Premier Ewing where he explained that constitutionally he and his party selected accurately a date that was at least 35 days away; but that the Elections Ordinance needed there to be at least enough working days before a national vote – that one word, WORKING, making the difference and presenting the problem.
The PNP Party leader flanked by his Deputy Premier, the Finance Minister, the Tourism Minister and the PNP National Chairman said that everyone missed that conflict; including the PDM Leader whom they blamed for the crafting of the law and the Attorney General who would have advised the Governor legally before he issued that proclamation to dissolve the House of Assembly and allow the date chosen by Premier Ewing to go forward.
The Premier said he did not have to acquiesce to a change because the Constitution is the over arching law of the land but that his team thought it best to play within the Elections Ordinance rules to ensure the national vote was not challenged as illegal; if that were to happen the entire process of voting would have to be redone.
But Michael Misick is of an opposing view and said to change the date, without an emergency, is ultra vires and that the Premier and Governor should take measures to make sure the Elections Supervisor can hold the elections on the original December 5 date. Magnetic Media on Sunday asked the premier if he was embarrassed by blunder, he said no.
“I don’t feel embarrassed, I mean it’s an unfortunate event that we have to go through it, but I don’t feel embarrassed. I never question the works of the Almighty God, and divine intervention for whatever reason, and I always trust that things what appear to be negative are something for the positive. So I look forward for the good that comes out of this. I look forward to an elections office that is even more well prepared to avoid election challenges, because the less prepared you are, the greater the likelihood of election challenges or blunders during the course of the election, and so this probably will give persons the opportunity to prepare themselves even more. This also gives the opportunity to those political parties who may need more extra time to get their voters out their constituency to actually canvas and get their votes. It may give time for students to come home probably because the date is now further on.”
