Monitoring/Exposing the Voter-Padding Efforts by the current T&T Government

[Socapro]

I think that this thread has now become necessary as more and more of the government's plans to steal the next general elections are revealed as the countdown to the elections get into full swing.

PNM loses voters in Sando East
EBC report tabled in the House
By Ria Taitt Political Editor (T&T Express)
Story Created: Mar 6, 2015 at 9:32 PM ECT

The major constituency affected by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) report is San Fernando East, one of three constituencies (the others being the two Laventille seats) which have never left the People’s National Movement (PNM).

The report recommends the transfer of polling divisions from Oropouche East, a United National Congress (UNC) stronghold, and removes two strong PNM polling divisions. These two polling divisions go to San Fernando West.

If one were to put it in the context of the results of the last general election in 2010, San Fernando has gone from a 3,627 lead for the PNM, down to approximately 2,510 votes.

Some political analysts said yesterday that depending on the housing allocation policy, San Fernando East could become less safe for the Opposition PNM.

At the same time, San Fernando West, though it has been allocated two polling divisions from San Fernando East, has not been converted into a safe seat for any of the parties, remaining solidly marginal.

The two polling divisions transferred from San Fernando East, based on the last general election, have a combined vote of 319 for the PNM and 152 for the UNC.

That, added to the San Fernando West electoral equation, does not make a difference.

In 2010, the Congress of the People (COP) won San Fernando West with 9,111 votes against the PNM’s 7,860, a difference of 1,251 votes.

Notwithstanding the loss of three polling divisions to San Fernando East, Oropouche East remains a UNC fortress, judging from the margin of victory the ruling party secured in this constituency in 2010.

Roodal Moonilal won with 17,927 votes for a 15,055 difference over the PNM candidate.

The other constituencies which had changes were the three Diego Martin constituencies, the two Port of Spain constituencies, and the two Couva constituencies.

This, according to the 2014 Report of the Elections and Boundaries Commission on the Review of the Constituency Boundaries pursuant to Section 72 of the Constitution, was tabled yesterday in the House of Representatives.

The report is dated March 27, 2014.

The overall size of the electorate has increased by 74,975 persons. The total electorate is 1,087,781, while the electorate as at January 29, 2009 was 1,012,806

The report recommended no change in the boundaries of 29 constituencies in Trinidad—Arima, Arouca/Maloney, Barataria/San Juan, Caroni Central, Caroni East, Chaguanas East, Chaguanas West, Cumuto/Manzanilla, D’Abadie/O’Meara, Fyzabad, La Brea, La Horquetta/Talparo, Laventille East/Morvant, Laventille West, Lopinot/Bon Air West, Mayaro, Moruga/Tableland, Naparima, Oropouche West, Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Princes Town, Siparia, St Ann’s East, St Augustine, St Joseph, Tabaquite, Toco/Sangre Grande and Tunapuna.

The report also recommended no change in the configuration of the two constituencies in Tobago.

The other ten constituencies have been altered.

The report states the boundaries of these constituencies have been adjusted to allow for compliance with the rules outlined in the Second Schedule to the Constitution.

But in most instances, the movement of polling divisions would not affect the political complexion of the constituency.

One polling division (3115) was transferred from UNC-held Couva North to Couva South, also UNC controlled.

Similarly, one polling division (0066) has been transferred from Diego Martin West to Diego Martin Central, while one polling division (0125) has been transferred from Diego Martin North/East to Diego Martin West.

Diego Martin North East has also lost one polling division (0680) to Port of Spain South.

Meanwhile, two polling divisions from Diego Martin North East (0190 and 0195) have been transferred to Port of Spain North/St Ann’s East.

Interestingly, polling division 0190 was one of the polling divisions in the PNM heartland which registered 400 votes for the UNC against 102 for the PNM in the last general election.

The San Fernando East constituency has lost two polling divisions (4055 and 4060) to San Fernando West and has been given polling divisions 3860, 3872 and 3905 from Oropouche East.

The report noted that the average number of electors in a constituency is 26,679 in Trinidad and 23,660 in Tobago.

The law stipulates that the permissible upper limit is 29,347 in Trinidad and the permissible lower limit 24,011.

In Tobago the permissible upper limit is 26,026 and the permissible lower limit is 21,294.

The constituencies with the largest increases in the size of their electorate were D’Abadie/O’Meara, where the electorate increased by 3,453 voters, from 24,806 to 28,259 between January 2009 and January 2014, and St Ann’s East, where the electorate increased by 3,095 from 25,099 to 28,194 in the same period.

The constituencies with the smallest increases in the size of their electorate were Port of Spain South, where the electorate increased by just 501 (from 23,488 to 23,989; San Fernando West, where the electorate increased by 588 (from 23,258 to 23,846 between January 2009 and January 2014); and Barataria/San Juan, where the size of the electorate grew by 636, from 25,043 to 25,679.

[Socapro]

EBC: 1,087,781 can vote
By Andre Bagoo Saturday, March 7 2015 (T&T Newsday)

THE LATEST constituency boundaries report – in which the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) put the total electorate at 1,087,781 – was yesterday tabled in Parliament by Government Whip Dr Roodal Moonilal who lashed back at critics who alleged the report was being withheld in order to voter-pad, calling such allegations “bewildering and mischievous”.

The EBC’s Year 2014 Report on the Review of Constituencies, dated March 27, 2014, was tabled. Moonilal said the report was approved by Cabinet last month, though the EBC’s reports are customarily accepted without objection.

“The Government wishes to advise this House that the EBC report being laid in this House today was approved by Cabinet on February 12, 2015, after having gone through the ususal channels required in matters of this nature,” Moonilal said in Parliament. “Mr Speaker, I make this brief intervention to refute preposterous allegations made by people equally preposterous in the public domain — the ususal suspects — that Government is engaged in a conspiracy to suppress the contents of the report and, even more bewildering, that the Government is involved in some conspiracy to voter-pad. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

In the report, the EBC puts the total electorate at 1,087,781 with 1,040,462 in Trinidad and 47,319 in Tobago. It states the population of two constituencies (Couva North and Diego Martin West) now exceeds the upper limits of the electorate size allowed per seat while four (Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West; Port-of-Spain South; San Fernando West and San Fernando East) fall below the permissible lower limit. The changes involving the shifting of polling divisions – in some cases single divisions, in others as many as three – between these constituencies and other neighbouring constituencies to place the electorate totals within the required bounds. Ten seats are affected in total, but all others – including the Tobago seats – remain untouched.

The EBC noted the Constitution rules for elections require, as far as practicable, an electorate as equal as possible. The permissible upper limit in Trinidad is 29,347 and the permissible lower limit is 24,011, on the basis of an average electorate of 26,679, applying the rule that the bounds are to be between 110 percent and 90 percent of the average.

In relation to Couva North, the EBC said the electorate was 29, 355 (above the limit). As a result, Polling Division 3115 (in Couva North) – with an electorate of 526 – was transferred to Couva South, reducing Couva North to 28,829 and increasing Couva South to 28,069 (below the limit).

The EBC said the Diego Martin West electorate was 29,434 (above limit). Polling Division 0125 – electorate 583 – in Diego Martin North/East is added to Diego Martin West. At the same time, Diego Martin West’s polling division 0066 – electorate of 773 – is shifted to Diego Martin Central, resulting in a net Diego Martin West electorate of 29, 244, an increase in the Diego Martin Central electorate to 29,328.

But Diego Martin North/East’s electorate was further affected by the shifting of polling divisions Nos 0190 and 0195 – combined total of 838 electors – to Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West which had been below the permissible limit. When the dust settles, Diego Martin North/East stands at 27,693.

Port-of-Spain South also gains a polling division (No 0680, electorate 212) from Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West. Port-of-Spain South thereby stands at 24, 201 and Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West at 24, 260.

San Fernando West’s electorate is put at 23,846 (below the lower limit). So, two polling divisions – Nos 4055 and 4060, electorates 514 and 277 respectively – are transferred from San Fernando East to San Fernando West. At same time, three stations (Nos 3860; 3872 and 3905, electorates of 1,225, 65 and 619 respectively are taken from Oropouche East. San Fernando East is increased to 24,667 and Oropouche East is reduced to 26,795.

Moonilal did not state any reason for the elapse of time between the submission of the report to the Prime Minister and Speaker last year and its tabling yesterday. The Constitution sets no time- line for the tabling of the EBC report which is to take place “as soon as may be”. The last report prior to the 2014 report was prepared in 2009.

PNM Diego Martin North-East MP Colm Imbert had on Tuesday raised the possibility that the report was deliberately withheld as boundaries were being shifted in a way to benefit the incumbent Government and to facilitate voter-padding. Imbert also then called for fixed reporting time-lines for the EBC and fixed general election dates, a matter which is one proposal that has been mooted by the current administration. The 2014 EBC report – and related orders – will have to be approved by Parliament. The PNM and the ILP’s Jack Warner voted against the last EBC report in relation to local government elections in 2013 which had recommended changes to boundaries as well.

[Socapro]

EBC wants 10 boundary changes
By Gail Alexander (T&T Guardian)
Published: Saturday, March 7, 2015

Unidentified Saudi Arabian Sheiks who were guest of Deputy Speaker Neela Khan arrive at the Parliament Building, Tower D, Waterfront Centre, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. Photo: ABRAHAM DIAZ

The Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) has recommended boundary changes in 10 constituencies in North and South Trinidad, including San Fernando East, San Fernando West and Oropouche East, for the upcoming 2015 general elections.
 
Among recommendations, the EBC proposes shifting three polling divisions from Oropouche East (held by the ruling UNC/PP) into San Fernando East (held by the Opposition PNM).
 
Also recommended is the shift of two polling divisions from San Fernando East (held by PNM) to San Fernando West (held by COP/PP).
 
The EBC order was laid in Parliament yesterday by People’s Partnership House leader Roodal Moonilal, who denied Opposition People’s National Movement claims that Government had been “suppressing” the EBC document.
 
The EBC, in charge of election preparations, has responsibility for review of the number of boundaries into which T&T is divided. There are 41 constituencies.
 
The EBC’s draft order is part of preparations for the upcoming elections after the PP’s term ends on May 24. Parliament prorogues in June. Outermost term limit is September, the Prime Minister has said.
 
The EBC draft order recommended that Trinidad should be divided into 39 constituencies and that no changes should be made in 29 of these, or in the two Tobago constituencies.
 
However, alterations of the boundaries of 10 Trinidad constituencies were recommended. This involves shifts of polling stations from some constituencies into others.
 
The affected constituencies are Couva North/South, Diego Martin West/Central/North East, Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West, Port-of-Spain South, San Fernando East and West and Oropouche.
 
According to the EBC order, the document had been submitted to the Prime Minister and Speaker of the House of Representatives on April 28, 2014.
 
But in presenting the document in Parliament, Moonilal said Cabinet had examined and approved the document on February 12 after the necessary requisites for matters of this nature were done.
 
“I say this to refute preposterous allegations by people equally preposterous - the usual suspects - that Government was suppressing the report and Government wants to ‘voter pad.’ Nothing is further from the truth,” he said, adding Government had not been dragging its feet on the EBC order.
 
Moonilal said the PNM was judging the PP by what it was accustomed to doing and the PNM had made mischievous statements on the matter.
 
PP sat on report—Imbert
 
However, PNM vice chairman Colm Imbert last night told the T&T Guardian, “The report is dated April 28, 2014, which means the Government had had it in its possession for almost one year.
 
“Dr Moonilal also confirmed it only went to Cabinet in February this year, so that means the PP sat on this report for at least nine months before even seeking Cabinet approval to table it in Parliament.
 
“In all that time they would have known that the major change that has taken place is that three strongly pro-UNC polling divisions have been moved from Oropouche East into San Fernando East, thus weakening the seat for the PNM by 1,000 votes.”
 
Imbert added, “The potential for voter-padding and house padding over the last year is also very real and we in PNM will now have to scrutinise the movement of voters in those polling divisions, especially in the Corinth area.”
 
Under EBC’s recommendation, boundaries in San Fernando East (PNM-held) would shift due to transfer from this constituency of two polling divisions to San Fernando West (COP-held) and transfer into San Fernando East of three polling divisions from Oropouche East (UNC/PP).
 
In San Fernando West (held by the CO/PP), changes will also be made due to the transfer into this constituency of two polling divisions from San Fernando East.
 
In Oropouche East, changes are also proposed due to the transfer from this constituency of three polling divisions to San Fernando East.
 
It has been recommended that one polling division from Couva North (UNC/PP) be transferred to neighbouring Couva South (UNC/PP), causing a shift of boundary there also.
 
In Diego Martin West (PNM), one polling division will be transferred to neighbouring Diego Martin Central (PNM) and another transferred from nearby Diego Martin North East (PNM) to Diego Martin West.
 
A Diego Martin North East polling division will be moved to Diego Martin West and two polling divisions also moved  to Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West.
 
Boundaries in PoS North/St Ann’s West (held by PNM) will also change due to transfer of two polling divisions from Diego Martin North East and in addition, transfer of one polling division to PoS South (held by PNM)
 
PoS South’s boundaries will change due to the addition of the one polling division from PoS North/St Ann’s West.
 
After the laying of the order in Parliament yesterday, the document’s recommendations will be debated by MPs in upcoming Parliament sittings before it is approved.​

[Deeks]

Gerry-mandering!!!!