THE EDITOR, Sir:

The article 'Portmore residents shun political process' published on page A9 of the Tuesday Gleaner is based on assumptions which are not entirely accurate. Quoting the report of the 2011 census, it states that of the 131,868 adults residing in three Portmore constituencies (South St Catherine, South East St Catherine and East Central St Catherine) only 85,785 are on the voters' list.

The fact is that Portmore is an expanding community with new housing developments still being added. Many persons who move to Portmore are registered to vote in the constituencies in which they previously resided and are in fact on the voters' list. The onus is on electors who have relocated to transfer their registration to the constituencies in which they currently reside.

In addition, the Electoral Office has, in the past, opened on Saturdays with limited response from the public. Nevertheless, approaching the end of each registration phase, offices have been opened islandwide on the weekend to facilitate persons wishing to be registered before the deadline. This occurred as recent as the final week of September 2012 and was widely published in the media.

Orrette Fisher

Director of Elections