Banjul, November 24 The Gambia Journal

The Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, IEC, Mr. Mustapha Carayol has told reporters in a press conference on Wednesday 22nd November that his institution will not allow massive transfer of voters this time around. He said the IEC has a busy schedule for the coming fourteen months running up to the first National Assembly elections scheduled for January and local government elections that are to follow later.  The IEC Chairman said that, as already published, that the calendar for the National Assembly elections starts on the 14th December when nomination papers will be made available to aspiring candidates; nomination of candidates between the 4th to the 6th January 2007; official campaign period is between 10th to the 23rd January, and Election Day, Thursday 25th January 2007. Mr. Carayol told reporters that he though everyone “would agree that the IEC conducted a successful Presidential election” in last September. He singled out what he called access to public media as one area where the IEC made “significant leap.” He promised that his institution will try to engage both the print and electronic media as partners so as to facilitate the sensitization of the public in accord with the stipulations of the Election Decree Section 84. He further disclosed that there will be 989 polling stations for the 48 counting centers, promising to hire more elections assistants that will help voters identify their respective polling stations. Mr. Carayol mentioned transportation as one of the constraints they faced the last time and that his commission will have to hire more vehicles for the December polls. Most of the vehicles used the last time were commandeered from government departments and projects. Last week, however the UNDP office in Banjul donated four pickup vehicles to the commission. Continuing his talk with the press, the IEC Chairman also disclosed that seven Returning Officers have already been appointed for the different electoral regions.
Asked about the timing of the transfer exercises, Mr. Carayol gave assurances that massive voter transfers were not expected as the IEC will this time strictly adhere to the rules. Mr. Carayol made no mention of the problems that mired the September elections which led to the dismissal and arrest of his predecessor.