Saint Kitts and Nevis: Confusion over poll results continues in St. Kitts and Nevis | EFE

Fifteen hours after the national polls closed in St. Kitts and Nevis, confusion over the outcome continues as the supervisor of elections said he would not disclose final results. The opposition Team Unity appealed Tuesday for “calm” after the state-owned radio and television station reported that there would be no more announcements about the results of Monday’s general election. “Let us be calm, your duly expressed will, will have life and substance,” Team Unity leader Timothy Harris said in a radio broadcast. “Clearly, the public know there has now been a movement for change from the results that have been made available to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. Clearly, what the supervisor is purporting to do cannot be done and will not be sanctioned by right thinking people in St. Kitts and Nevis,” Harris said.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: Opposition candidate files petition challenging results | Caricom

The Deputy leader of the main opposition Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), Mark Brantley, has filed a petition in the courts here challenging his defeat in the July 11 Nevis island Administration (NIA) elections. Brantley lost the St. John’s Parish constituency by 14 votes to the incumbent Henry Daniel as the Nevis Reformation Party (NRF) regained control of the NIA winning three of the five seats that were at stake in the polls.

Brantley wants the Court to declare the elections void based on a number of irregularities, including the CCM’s lack of access to state-owned media and the removal of over 200 previously registered voters from the voters list in contravention of the constitution. Prior to the election, the CCM said it was buoyed by the High Court ruling that the names of five persons be re-instated to the Voters’ List.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: NGOs National Observer Group highlights irregularities in Nevis Elections | SKNVibes

In an interim report on the July 11, 2011 Nevis Island Elections, the local Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) Observer Group stated that despite the generally peaceful nature of the campaign and the electoral process, a number of irregularities were observed. The first noticeable irregularity noted was that voters had difficulty finding their polling stations or their names on the partial Electoral List inside the polling stations, and this caused several of them to be disenfranchised.

“We welcome the generally peaceful nature of the campaign and the electoral process. At the same time, we were saddened by the fact that a number of Nevisians were disenfranchised, and persons known to be permanent residents in St. Kitts were able to participate in the elections are voters.

“There remain shortcomings with the voters’ registration, based on the number of people with voter cards but missing from the voters’ register. This needs to be urgently addressed,” the report states.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: OAS Observer Mission congratulates people of Nevis, urges clarification of procedures | NevisPages.com

The OAS Observer Mission that monitored the July 11th 2011 Nevis Island Assembly elections in Nevis has congratulated the people of Nevis for their high turnout and peaceful exercise of their right to vote during this election. The Team noted that it was the first time that the OAS observed a local election in the Caribbean, and the second deployment of an electoral observation mission in St. Kitts and Nevis, the first being the January 25, 2010 General Elections

“Likewise, the Mission notes with satisfaction the dedication and commitment of the poll workers to ensure a smooth process during Election Day, and the improved distribution of voters through polling stations in accordance with the OAS observations made in 2010,” said the OAS Team in a statement, which noted that on Election Day, the OAS international observers were deployed in all five constituencies and visited all of the polling sites. Once the polls were closed, they observed the collection and counting of the ballots.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: Federal leader pledges support for Nevis administration | Antigua Observer Newspaper

A day after Joseph Parry and his Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) were returned to office following Monday’s elections on Nevis, St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas pledged the federal government will continue to work closely with the sister isle’s new administration, a government statement here said, even as protests over Monday’s poll continued.

“You have elected a government to look after the interest of the people of Nevis. My duty as the leader of the Federal Government is to lend support whenever that support is required,” said Douglas in brief remarks as Premier Parry and his cabinet were sworn in at a public ceremony at Elquemedo Willett Park in the Nevisian capital, Charlestown.

“Today, I yet affirm that you can depend upon me and the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Government to do at all times what is right for the people of Nevis and what is right for the people of St. Kitts as well,” he added.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: OAS Observers Confirm NIA Election Irregularities | The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer

The OAS Electoral Observation Mission has confirmed that two days prior to the July 11th Nevis Island Assembly Elections, voter names had been “added to and removed” from the voter’s list. The presence of the five-member team of experts in Nevis marked the first time the OAS had deployed a mission to observer a local election in the Caribbean.

Monday’s NIA elections saw the incumbent Premier Joseph Parry-led Nevis Reformation Party return to government with a controvertible 3-2 win over the Concerned Citizens Movement.

According to a statement issued by the OAS following the election, the observers collected complaints regarding the addition and removal of names from the voters list and its legal expert observed the related cases presented before the High Court last Friday. Based on their independent observations, the OAS team expressed concern with the process.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: Nevisians took to the streets of Charlestown in Election protest | SKNVibes

The clamorous chants of “we want justice…we demand fair play” by some 1 500 supporters of the Concerned Citizens Movement, echoed through the streets of downtown Charlestown yesterday (July 12) in protest of what they claimed to be a rigged election.

At about 3:30 p.m., disgruntled supporters of the CCM began gathering at the Memorial Square in Charlestown for a 4:00 p.m. meeting at that venue with their party’s Leader Vance Amory.

On arrival of Amory and the party’s Deputy Leader, Mark Brantley, and hearing that the Premier-designate, Joseph Parry, Hensley Daniel and Robelto Hector were scheduled to be Sworn In at approximately 5:00 p.m. at the Elquemedo Willet Park, the rapidly growing crowd decided that a protest march should take the place of the meeting.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: OAS and Saint Kitts and Nevis Sign Agreement for Electoral Observation Mission | South Florida Caribbean News

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, and the Interim Representative of Saint Kitts and Nevis to the Organization, Kemoy Liburd Chow, today signed the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities for the Electoral Observation Mission that will be present for the 2011 Nevis Island Assembly Elections on July 11.

During the signing ceremony, Liburd Chow expressed her country’s appreciation for the OAS by affirming that “we commend the OAS for its continued service and efforts to promote democracy in the hemisphere.”

Saint Kitts and Nevis: Premier Parry announces Nevis Election Day | SKNVibes

Amidst loud cheers by supporters and well-wishers, Leader of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Hon. Joseph Parry last night (June 22) announced that Nevisians would go to the polls on Monday, July 11, 2011. The incumbent Premier made the announcement at a rally in Brick Kiln Village in the St. James Constituency.

Parry told the gathering that he consulted the Governor-General and advised him to dissolve the Nevis Island Assembly yesterday (June 22).

“Today, I consulted with His Excellency the Governor-General. It is with the confidence of knowing that we have done our best on the circumstances that I advised on the dissolution of Parliament here in Nevis,” Parry told his party supporters. “And with the dissolution of Parliament,” he added, “I can ring the bell.”

Saint Kitts and Nevis: Elections Supervisor By-passes Electoral Commission Ruling | The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer

Supervisor of Elections Leroy Benjamin Sr. said the Electoral Commission does not have the authority to instruct him in regard to the reinstating of names on the Voters List.

On June 7, Mr. Benjamin responded to the Electoral Commission’s May 26 letter stating that names which Registration Officer Bernadette Lawrence had removed from the Voters List in Nevis were to remain. According to the Supervisor of Elections, the Commission could only supervise his work, not tell him how to carry out his duties.

“I am fully aware that the Commission shall supervise the Supervisor of Elections in the performance of his functions. But the operative word or duty is supervise and not the giving of directions,” Benjamin’s letter said.