[2018] CCJ 13 (AJ)
of a Barbados national identification card bearing his photograph and has been
legally working, by virtue of a CARICOM Skilled National Certificate, as a
Professor of Law at the University of West Indies, Cave Hill Campus in Barbados,
where he has been employed since 2006. He thus claims that he satisfies the
requirements of section 7 of ROPA so as to be qualified to be registered as an
elector for a constituency because on the qualifying date “he
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
[4]
is a citizen of Barbados; or
is a Commonwealth citizen (other than a citizen of Barbados) who
has resided in Barbados for a period of at least three years
immediately before the qualifying date and
is 18 years of age or over;
and has resided in that constituency for a period of at least 3 months
before that qualifying date.”
According to Professor Ventose, on 8 October 2013, he attended the Electoral
Office to apply for a replacement of his Barbados National Identification card. It
was there that he made enquiries as to whether he could register as an elector in
Barbados. The request was refused on the basis that a holder of a permit to reside
and work in Barbados as a CARICOM Skilled National was not entitled to be
registered and vote in Barbados. Subsequent to that, counsel for Professor Ventose,
Faye Finisterre, wrote a letter to the CEO requesting a statement of the reason(s)
for the refusal of her client’s registration as an elector in Barbados. The CEO never
responded to that letter or provided reasons for the refusal.
[5]
Four years later, in October 2017, Professor Ventose attended the Electoral Office
to register and the request was again refused. On this occasion he was told that the
only persons entitled to vote were Barbadian citizens or permanent residents.
[6]
On 4 January 2018 (‘the qualifying date’), Professor Ventose visited the Electoral
office for the third time. This time, he was presented with a form (Form 1) which
he submitted in a claim to be registered as an elector in Barbados as prescribed by
ROPA. On submission of the claim for registration, the CEO through her agents,
advised Professor Ventose that it was the long-standing policy of the Electoral and