By Omar Anderson, Gleaner WriterTHE ELECTORAL Advisory Committee (EAC) has proposed that the number of constituencies be increased to 63 from the current 60.
This was among several written recommendations the EAC made to a parliamentary committee on December 2, last year, following its November retreat.
If the recommendations are accepted by Parliament, Section 67 of the Constitution would have to be amended for the changes to be enacted. The Constitution allows a minimum 15,000 voters to be registered in a constituency, and a maximum 33,900.
According to a Gleaner source, the probability of a tie due to the close finish of the 2002 General Election when the People's National Party won a slim eight-seat majority, in addition to the rapid rate of voter registration, influenced the EAC's position.
"From last year June, we became aware of the rapid rate of voter registration, with some constituencies showing signs of possibly breaching the maximum number of electors constitutionally allowed per constituency," the source said.
The source added: "We started to examine the potential problem and that is what led us to the decision to [recommend the] increase of the constituencies to 63."
The Gleaner was informed that the EAC has also recommended that the boundaries of several predominantly St. Catherine constituencies be revised to ensure they do not fall outside the legal ambit of registered voters.
CHANGES AHEAD
For example, sections of St. Catherine South, currently held by the People's National Party's (PNP) Fitz Jackson, are likely to be ceded to South Central St. Catherine with sitting MP Sharon Hay-Webster, also PNP. Several areas of St. Catherine South West, held by the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Everald Warmington, are likely to be moved to West Central and Central St. Catherine. Dr. Ken Baugh of the JLP is the sitting MP for the West Central constituency, while Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, also JLP, controls Central St. Catherine.
Additionally, sections of Central St. Catherine could be moved to St. Catherine East Central where the PNP's K.D. Knight is MP. East Central could in turn lose some sections to St. Catherine North East where Abe Dabdoub, JLP, is MP. It is also understood that a small area of South East St. Catherine where Dr. Paul Robertson, PNP is MP, could go to South Central St. Catherine.
The proposed changes would bring all constituencies in line, without the risk of them breaking the constitutional limits.
"These changes were recommended to correct the breaches and took into account homogenity of communities, accessibility, and geography," the source said.
Director of Elections Danville Walker yesterday confirmed the EAC's proposals, and added that changes are likely to be made in North West St. James to reflect the legal number of voters. Dr. Horace Chang of the JLP is the sitting MP for the North West constituency. Both East Central (Ed Bartlett JLP) and West Central St. James (Clive Mullings JLP) would gain from any loss suffered by North West.
Rapid population growth is said to be one of the reasons behind the EAC's recommendation of 63 as against 61 or 59 constituencies.
REDUCED ELECTORATES
Gleaner sources explained that breaches of the electoral boundaries and the rapid pace of development in a given area would force the reduction in the number of voters in a constituency.
Against this background, the Director of Elections said St. Catherine would likely be one of the parishes to have an additional constituency.
"For example, if you look at somewhere like Central St. Catherine, you will see why we decided to pare it down, because there is a whole heap of development taking place, in terms of a number of houses being built," Mr. Walker said.
Mr. Walker said he was looking forward to a favourable outcome on the EAC's proposals.
"By convention, over the last 20 years, anything the EAC recommended has been adapted," he said.
