The Parliamentary Registration Department is hosting town hall meetings on the island of Grand Bahama this week. The meetings are meant to inform citizens about the new biometric regime.
At a press conference held on Monday Parliamentary Commissioner, Harrison Thompson said the new system is designed to strengthen confidence in the voter register and ensure transparency.
He told reporters, “we understand that the integrity of this process must be matched by transparency and public trust. That’s why we are making every effort to ensure that voters are fully informed and that the steps involved in verification are clearly explained.”
Grand Bahama voters can verify at the Parliamentary Registration Department offices at the Winn Building and the Obadiah Wilchcombe Complex. Satellite stations have also been opened across the island to make the registration process as convenient as possible. They are located at the Church of God Hawksbill, the Pro Cathedral of Christ The King, the Church of Christ Apostolic and Mary Madeline Anglican Church.
Thompson explained that the verification process is meant to give voters the chance to confirm or correct their information and transfer their biometric data from their passport to the voter register. He said, “any biometric data transferred to the register will be handled with strict security and protocols that will only be used for the purpose of voter verification. There will also be a paper backup of the register maintained to ensure that no disruptions occur during election operations.”
Representatives of the Parliamentary Registration Department are expected to conduct town hall across the family islands.
