Missing names anger some police

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Wednesday | August 29, 2007

Adrian Frater and Shelly-Ann Thompson, Gleaner Reporters

At least one policeman did not exercise his right to vote yesterday as his name was on a voters' list that was at the other end of the island.

Commanding officer for St. James, Steve McGregor, who was transferred in March from St. Thomas to the parish, was not re-verified and, as such, his name appeared on a voters' list at the Morant Bay Police Station.

Ultra-impossible task

"It would have been ultra-impossible for me to leave St. James at this time to go to Morant Bay," Superintendent McGregor said.

The police, military and election-day workers were designated to vote yesterday ahead of civilians, who will cast their ballots on Monday.

Danville Walker, director of elections, had previously warned that security personnel whose names appeared on the police/military list had to vote yesterday or they would not be able to cast their ballot on September 3.

"I really wanted to vote, but such is life," the commanding officer of the troubled St. James division said.

In addition, more than six policemen from St. James had to travel to Kingston yesterday to cast their ballot, Supt. McGregor told The Gleaner.

"These are men who had been transferred - some temporary or otherwise - but are currently stationed in St. James," McGregor explained.

Reacted angrily

Anger erupted outside the Montego Freeport Police Station, as several frustrated policemen, some spouting expletives, reacted angrily to the fact that they were not able to vote as they had expected to.

"I was verified right here at Freeport but my name is on the voters' list for Allman Town in Kingston," Sergeant C.J. Clarke of the Mount Salem Police Station said.

At the same time, a policeman in Kingston, who requested anonymity, sai he had been reverified, his name was on the civilians' voters list.

It was yesterday, when he turned outto vote, that he was informed that he would have to cast his ballot in a parish other than where he worked, on Monday.

"I do not know for sure what went wrong. But what I will do is (request to) work in the parish where I am designated to vote come Monday," he said.

Raymond Wilson, head of the Police Federation, said no complaints regarding the voting process had been made to the executive body of the organisation.

"No reports, whether good or bad, would have reached the federation," Corporal Wilson said.

However, Karl Angell, director of communications for the Jamaica Constabulary Force, while noting that the voting process for the police went fairly well in the Corporate Area, said the isolated cases would be dealt with.

"There were minor glitches, names not appearing or appearing in the wrong place, but that was sorted out by the EOJ (Electoral Office of Jamaica)," Mr. Angell said.

He added: "When EOJ was spoken to, they said they would try and put some arrangements in place."