This morning 4 April, Executive Members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were scheduled to picket the Parliamentary Elections Office (PEO) in protest against the resignation of Supervisor of Election Aaron Francois.
According to the regulations, the Supervisor of Elections must be a Public Officer appointed by the Governor General. Francois told members of the media that he resigned from the post for personal and professional reasons. He continues to hold his post as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health.
Randal Robinson, Assistant Public Relations Office of the NDC, is of the opinion that a Parliamentary Elections Office should enjoy the Public trust. “The picket is to support the maintenance of a Parliamentary Elections Office that is independent, competent and full of integrity.”
The picket will also openly express concern that the transfer of another senior staff member of the PEO is intruding on the democratic process. Robinson said the transfer of the staff member cannot be in the best interest of the PEO because that person was specifically trained to be a computer system administrator at the Elections Office when that office was transferring its systems from manual to digital.
“Come out in your national colours or in all white carrying a National Flag. GRENADA NEEDS YOU NOW,” Robinson said on his Facebook page invitation.
By Linda Straker