January 7th, 2011


Senator Gregory Bowen

c/o Office of the Leader of the Opposition

H.A. Blaize Street

St. George’s


Dear Senator Bowen,


Re: NNP Press Statement - Reference to Voter Registration System


New Year Greetings!


I have noted the press statement of December 21st, 2010, issued by the New National Party which was carried on the George Grant website under the title - Response to the Planned Arrest of Top NNP members by the NDC Administration.


My attention has been drawn to the following section of the statement which makes reference to mismanagement of the country’s resources

by the NDC administration. The statement read as follows:


“They continue to mismanage the country’s scarce resources by engaging in the …………………….unnecessary purchase of voter registration equipment costing over two million dollars…………….”


Senator Bowen, I find it necessary to draw this statement to your attention since I have attended two stakeholder consultations held by the Parliamentary Elections Office in November 2009 and December 2010 at which you represented the New National Party. The most recent was on December 7th, 2010, held at the National Stadium, attended by yourself and Mr. Lawrence Joseph on behalf of the New National Party. Also attending that consultation were a number of persons holding eminent positions – the Director of the OAS in Grenada, the Ombudsman and the President of the Senate.


At that consultation, the Supervisor of Elections again gave a background to the situation regarding the proposed new voter registration system:

The existing system was antiquated. The equipment to facilitate the system was no longer produced. Indeed the factory which produced equipment for Grenada had stopped producing that equipment YEARS ago. Whereas, previously they had facilitated Grenada with special production, it was now TOO EXPENSIVE and the company had stopped this practice some time ago. The film was no longer produced.
The current voter identification card did not have any security features and was easily reproduced.
The system proposed was in line with recommendations made by the OAS and in line with international standards.
Changing the system was already a “work in progress” when the new Supervisor of Elections took over. She was merely continuing what had already been started.

At that consultation, both the staff of the Parliamentary Elections Office and the supplier of the system, gave an overview of the system and its operations and responded to queries and comments in relation to the proposed system.


Senator Bowen, at that consultation I do not recall that either yourself or Mr. Joseph, raised any concerns about the costs of the new system. That concern was raised by Mr. Washington Edwards of the minority Grenada Renaissance Party, when he raised the issue of “value for money”. Your contributions and queries, as I recall, addressed the concerns of integrity, concerns related to technical details, choice of supplier, i.e. how the contract to supply the system was awarded and the matter of a Verification Committee. Indeed, I was pleasantly surprised that you and I shared similar sentiments with respect to the matter of integrity and the voter registration system, when you concurred with the remarks of “the lady”.


The consultation recognized that voter registration was the bulwark of our parliamentary democratic system. The existing system was no longer serving Grenada. It was a pressing issue to be addressed without further delay. There was no objection from anyone, yourself included. Indeed, in your closing comments, you expressed your EXPLICIT support, with due consideration to the queries you had raised. I am therefore affronted by the IRRESPONSIBLE and DELIBERATELY MISLEADING references made in the press release of the New Nation Party – “unnecessary purchase of voter registration equipment costing over two million dollars…………”


Is it, Senator Bowen, that you did not properly represent the concerns and objections of your party? I think that it should be noted that current woes of the voter registration system dates back to the stewardship of YOUR Administration. It is no secret that the electorate had almost lost confidence when the system crashed and information was lost prior to the 2008 elections. Elections 2008 have come and gone with a cloud of uncertainty still hanging over the Voter Registration List that was used.


Senator Bowen, we the people understand that politicians all over, opposition or in government, elected or nominated, engage in the practice of POLITRICKS. However, Senator, we the people expect our representatives to demonstrate a measure of responsibility and respect for we the people. Responsibility and respect suggest, Sir, that they should refrain from dragging this sensitive, fundamental and sacred matter of the voter registration system into the gutter of “politricks”.


Kind regards!


Sandra C.A. Ferguson