A former Chief Minister Warns Against Tinkering with the Voting System on Montserrat
A former Chief Minister has warned against tinkering with the island’s voting system.
Percival Austin Bramble, who served as Leader of Government Business from 1970-1978, says a return to constituencies as some persons are advocating will, in his words, be an unmitigated disaster.
Under the Elections Act, each voter is allowed to elect nine persons to the Legislative Assembly using the At Large Voting System.
This was brought into force in 2001 after volcanic eruptions made four of the three constituencies uninhabitable.
But Mr. Bramble says reverting to constituencies would have serious consequences because of the small size of the population.
Former Chief Minister of Montserrat Percival Austin Bramble.
Meantime, Opposition Member of Parliament, Honourable Claude Hogan, had earlier proposed a hybrid system, similar to what is used in the British Virgin Islands.
And Former Premier of Montserrat Reuben T. Meade agrees that this would be a suitable compromise.
Former Premier of Montserrat Reuben T. Meade.