Elections petition adjourned to Sept
The Esther Perreira elections petition before Justice Claudette Singh was yesterday adjourned to September 6. The petitioner is asking the court to find that the results of the 1997 general elections were null and void. In her petition, Perreira has named the representatives of the political parties and the Chief Election Officer as the respondents. Senior Counsel Peter Britton is appearing for Perreira. Yesterday, Senior Counsel Doodnauth Singh who is representing the Chief Election Officer, Stanley Singh, indicated to Justice Singh that after the adjournment he intends to lead the Returning Officer of Region 4, in his evidence since the evidence-in-chief and cross-examination will be lengthy. Britton supported his colleague while indicating to the court that he will continue his cross-examination of Region One Returning Officer, Lloyd Baharally, on the list of names of the electors at Baramita. The witness yesterday presented the list which was requested by Britton to the court. Baharally, while under cross-examination by Britton on Tuesday, had testified that there was need for a translator in the Baramita area. He told the court that he had visited the area during the registration period and had realised that there was need for a translator on elections day to explain voting procedures to the electors who were of the Carib tribe and understood only Spanish. However, he could not remember what arrangements he had put in place to have such a person. Asked if there were instances where ID cards were deemed questionable, the Returning Officer agreed. He explained that on separate occasions polling agents from the PPP/C and the PNC at Hosororo had approached him with complaints that they were not allowed to vote by Presiding Officers. It was alleged that the photographs on the ID cards did not appear to be as sharp as others when placed under the ultraviolet light.
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