WITH FUNDING proving difficult to come by and with time running out, Citizens Action for Free And Fair Election (CAFFE), has scaled back the number of volunteers it needs for the October 16 general election from 2,500 to under 2,000.

Dr. Lloyd Barnett, Chairman of the local observer group made the disclosure yesterday, while addressing journalists at a press briefing at the Election Centre, Hope Road, St. Andrew.

With just over 1,000 volunteers in place up to yesterday, CAFFE is now seeking to attract another 800 between now and October 10, the cut off point for recruitment. This is to allow adequate time for training and deployment ahead of election day.

"We've reached more than a thousand so we have enough to do the basic job...but obviously we're seeking improvements over the last time," Dr. Barnett said. Roughly 1,000 CAFFE volunteers monitored the general election of December 18, 1997.

"I would say that 1,800 would be a very effective figure. If we could get another 700 or 800 in these seven days then I think we would have done very well," Dr. Barnett said.

Prior to the announcement of the election date on September 22, there were only about 400 volunteers. That figure moved past the 1,000 mark this week.

Meanwhile, CAFFE may still be forced to curtail some of its election day activities, as it is yet to receive a $9 million grant from the European Union.

Father Jim Webb, at a Gleaner Editors' Forum last week, said that the watchdog group would be forced to do so, if the money was not received by early this week. The amount which was pledged in June, represents roughly 40 per cent of CAFFE's election budget of $22 million.

The money is used to train volunteers, print manuals, manufacture CAFFE bibs worn by volunteers, print identification cards, provide transportation, general stationery and office supplies.

With the $9 million not yet in its coffers, CAFFE is worried about the likely effect this could have on its operations, including the type of technology it is able to afford and the quality and timeliness of its reporting activities.

Each CAFFE volunteer is expected to file at least three reports through to the data centre on election day. At least one volunteer will be placed in every polling division.