Media to Receive Sweetheart Pass During Curfew on Elections Day

Chester Williams

Where it concerns the media, ComPol Williams has given assurances that we will be able to move about freely in the conduct of our duties to you, our viewing public, to bring live coverage of the elections results.  Again, for those in line after six o’clock, should the curfew period catch you there, you will be allowed to vote and proceed to your respective homes.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“May I emphatically state that the media is a very important part of our democracy and there is no way that the curfew is going to be used to stifle the media.  We believe that something as important as an election, the media needs to be out to ensure that they report accurately to their viewers, as well as to act as a check and balance to ensure that there is nothing unscrupulous being done by anyone during the election process.  What we seek to do through the curfew is to ensure that after voting is over, that people can go home and await the results of the election.  And let’s say hypothetically that come eight o’clock there are still lines of people waiting to vote, because again, we must contemplate that the election process this year is going to take longer due to the COVID precautionary measures.  So let’s say that come eight, there are still lines at some polling stations, for sure those persons in those lines must be allowed to vote.  They will remain in the line until everybody in the line has cast their vote and after they have done so, even though we would be within the curfew hours, those persons must be allowed to go home unimpeded by the police, so long as it is that they are coming from voting.”