COVID-19 positive Barbadians must vote in general election: APP leader

The Alliance Party for Progress leader, Lynette Eastmond, criticised the decision of the Head of the COVID-19 Unit

COVID-19
APP Leader criticized the decision of Head of the COVID-19 Unit

Barbados: The Alliance Party for Progress (APP) leader, Lynette Eastmond, criticised the decision of the Head of the COVID-19 Unit not to permit the COVID-19 infected patients to vote in the general election on January 19, 2022.

While speaking against the decision, she asserted that she could not find a law that stopped citizens from voting because they had been diagnosed with the COVID-19 pandemic.

By highlighting the significance of voting, Esatmond, an attorney-at-law, noted, ” It is quite heartening as we are living in a time where Barbadians are eliminating from their right to vote. We should celebrate the work done by people who fought for Universal Adult Suffrage. They have fought for our democratic rights even though they were not allowed to speak”.

She further added that many countries had conducted free and fair elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic, even when these countries were following the protocols of isolation.

According to the Representation of the People Act, which signifies that”a person is entitled to vote as an elector in elections on the voting day if the person is qualified to vote for that constituency and on the day the registration of the elector would be used at that election,” she mentioned.

Eastmond further highlighted the provision o disqualification of the voter from the election-

If the person is not mentally well,

  1. A person is sentenced to imprisonment,
  2. Under the sentence of death
  3. Any other law disqualifies an individual.

By citing the Emergency Management Act, she underscored,” the Cabinet can give any Orders called Directives if they found any health emergency even though these COVID-19 directives can eliminate any voter to vote.

Moreover, Emergency Management under the act can be operated by the Chief Medical Officer.

She further explained that no one could challenge the Representation of People Act, and the Head of COVID-19 Unite’s statement did not have any point.

Eastmond asserted that by following every protocol of COVID-19, such as implementing social distancing, wearing a mask, expanding virtual training for election workers, etc., we could conduct free and fair elections with every citizens’ vote.