56 Regent Street Shared by U.D.P. Area Rep, P.U.P. Aspirant
Paul Thompson
Two weeks away from the Albert Division convention for the People’s United Party on June seventeenth, the campaign between Senators and People’s United Party’s aspirants Valerie Woods and Paul Thompson is getting contentious. Tonight, Senator Thompson finds himself on the defense and confirms that he is in fact currently registered to vote at the “home” of his United Democratic Party rival, area representative and Minister of State Tracey Taegar Panton. Thompson has maintained number fifty-six Regent Street as his address dating back to 1998, when Mark Espat was the area representative. It was the address of the late Doctor Leroy Taegar, physician and father of Panton. News Five is reliably informed that many other persons are also registered at that same address. But Senator Thompson says he once rented a room there, and will rectify the matter. The P.U.P. aspirant insists there is nothing untoward about it.
Senator Paul Thompson, P.U.P. Aspirant, Albert Division
“I’ve been registered at fifty-six Regent Street since 1998 when the last re-registration process took place. At the time, and in an effort to be around the people that I knew I would serve, I registered and rented a room from the late great Doctor [Leroy] Taegar – you know that old P.U.P. stalwart? I rented a room from him, and so from ever since then, over two decades now, I’ve been registered there. Now, obviously I don’t want to transfer from that division because I’m running for the Albert Division; why wouldn’t I want to vote for myself – I want to vote for myself, right? So I’ve remained there. Now the question is, I’ve looked at that voters’ list for the Albert Division, and I haven’t seen the other aspirant on that list. Now maybe you should find out where she’s registered. You do have to re-register, so I’m going to register where I live.”
Aaron Humes
“So you still live at fifty-six Regent Street?”
Senator Paul Thompson
“No, I don’t live at fifty-six Regent Street presently. I registered at fifty-six Regent Street in 1998, [during the] last re-registration process. I will register where I live now. I moved from there a long time ago, but I remained in the Albert Division because I want to be around the people. And why would I want to transfer out [of] the division when I’m running. I want to at least get the chance to vote for myself.”
Aaron Humes
“But there’s been no communication between you and her in terms of that?”
Senator Paul Thompson
“No. No, no. We actually had an office there before the last City Council elections and when she decided that she wanted to run, we had to move out; we had a lease and so we had to break that lease and find somewhere else in fact.”
Aaron Humes
“But there’s been no conflict of any kind.”
Senator Paul Thompson
“None at all, none at all. We moved out.”
The Representation of the People Act does not make any provision for elected representatives to live in the division in which they wish to run for election to the House of Representatives or municipal elections.
