PPP agents quizzed on why they are testifying for commission
By William Walker
Lawyers for Chief Election Officer (CEO), Stanley Singh, called three more witnesses yesterday as an air of normality settled over the elections petition following Wednesday's stormy session. Much of the cross-examination attempted to enlighten the court as to why agents from a political party were testifying on behalf of the Elections Commission, an independent body. After Jeananime Munroe, representing the CEO had led the witnesses, Raphael Trotman counsel for the petitioner Esther Perreira, first questioned Patrick Mohammed a PPP polling agent at Golden Grove as to why the signature of the presiding officer on his tally sheet bore "no similarity whatsoever" to that on the statement of poll (SOP) submitted to the court by the Elections Commission. Mohammed replied that the tally sheet presented in court was a photocopy and that "things could happen" during photocopying. "Are you asking the court as a wise and reasonable man to accept that the signatures came from the same person?" asked Trotman. Mohammed persisted that the court should accept both documents. Trotman then queried Mohammed on the reasons for his appearance in the court. "Are you aware your being called here has been engineered by a political party on behalf of an independent organisation?" The witness said that he was. Trotman kept up this line of questioning with the next witness Mohan Persaud a PPP agent at Nabaclis. "Are you aware that the Elections Commission is an independent body and does not submit to any political control?... Did you have any involvement with the Elections Commission?... Don't you agree that the presiding officer or an official of the Elections Commission is the best person to say what went on at your polling station?" The witness accepted that this was probably true. Trotman wondered how his tally sheet had "miraculously appeared back in your hand" after two years and noticing that it was unsigned asked Persaud whether "the court should accept into evidence a document not prepared according to the law. "No!" responded a visibly distressed Persaud. Trotman suggested to him as he exited the box that he had been set up. Bibi Khan, a polling agent at Soesdyke, did not originally want to say that she had picked up her tally sheet from PPP headquarters, causing Trotman to wonder if she was a member of some "secret organisation". Trotman asked her directly why she thought the party wanted to support the Elections Commission but answered himself by suggesting that Khan was likely just following instructions. Munroe was once again asked how many more witnesses were to testify. Justice Claudette Singh expressed hope that by Monday this information would be provided to the court and adjourned proceedings until then. The elections petition started back in September 1998 and was brought by Esther Perreira on the grounds that the 1997 elections process was so flawed as to not be an accurate reflection of the will of the people.
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