'EOJ ready for Dec election'

Director of Elections Orrette Fisher has declared that the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) will be ready to conduct the upcoming general election if it is called for December.

Fisher, speaking with The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre yesterday, said, "When I assess the situation and the statutory time limit between announcement, nomination and election day, I am of the opinion that the Electoral Office would be in a position to conduct a December poll based on the November 30 voters' list."

Fisher said the EOJ has acquired the majority of equipment and material it needs to run a general election that is free and fair.

He further said the recruitment of election day workers has been completed and that the training of persons is far advanced.

At the same time, the EOJ said it would carry out its simulation exercise for use of the Electronic Voter Identification and Ballot Issuing System (EVIBIS) this Sunday.

EOJ Public Education Officer Christin Senior said the EVIBIS is to be used in seven constituencies in the Corporate Area and St Catherine.

"We are going to be doing test runs in each of these constituencies," Senior said.

The EOJ will commence its programme in St Andrew West Central and St Andrew North Central.

The other constituencies are St Catherine Eastern, St Andrew South East, St Andrew Eastern, St Andrew Western and Kingston Central.

Senior argued that the simulation exercises are designed as practice sessions for the election day workers as well as educational programmes for voters.