Some described it as chaos. Others said it was “shambolic, frustrating and disgraceful”.
For thousands, it was the day of the advanced poll.
They waited on long lines in the blazing sun for hours at 12 polling stations on New Providence in hopes of casting their vote ahead of the May 12 general election.
At the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium, scores of disgruntled voters complained that they waited for hours before they cast their vote. The gym served as the polling station for the Garden Hills, Englerston, and Saint Barnabas constituencies.
As sweat dripped from her brow, Ms. McDonald said that the disorganized lines nearly turned her away.
“I was standing here for like more than an hour and nothing yet,” she said.
“One minute it look like the line flowing, and the next you standing here wondering if you ever gonna even make it inside.
“I almost feel like I want go home and wait for election day. But if it this chaotic now, then imagine on the big day.”
Ky’Shaun Miller said despite the long wait, he was able to vote.
“For some people it was smooth, but for others it was difficult,” he said.
“I waited for four hours, but I was able to go in and cast my vote.”
Another voter, Trudy, voted but complained about the “shambolic” lines.
“It was very hectic inside there,” she said.
“We were standing on the line too long, and they ain’t organized. If you go inside there you still have to stand up for hours before you get to vote.”
She continued, “I was here for almost two hours trying to get inside.
“They supposed to have a line for the disabled people and the old people what can’t move like that. They disorganized.”
Another voter, Ms. Rolle, said that she waited for four hours before she was able to vote.
“I wanted to exercise my right to vote,” she said.
When asked what changes can be implemented to ensure a swifter process during the general election, Rolle said, “Perhaps a period of time like earlier for the senior citizens.
“Then afterwards, the regular voters because it’s very discouraging to be sitting in the sun for so long.”
A Rick Fox supporter said she was called a b**** by supporters from another party when she tried to secure a wheelchair for her friend.
“They need to be more organized because the handicapped people need to have first preference,” she said.
Many senior citizens said they waiting on the line for over four hours to vote.
The Free National Movement’s (FNM) Englerston candidate, Heather McDonald, said that the conditions outside the gym were unbelievable.
“It’s very chaotic down here and it’s clustered,” she said.
“They listened to some of our suggestions, and they did open a line for senior citizens, but it’s obvious of the voters’ frustration.
“We had persons on this line for four hours. Many of them were here from 7 o’clock this morning and haven’t voted as yet.
“And what’s happening right now is that a lot of voters are leaving and they say they don’t want to come back at all. They have to understand that these senior citizens are the most vulnerable persons in our community; many of them have illnesses. There was a gentleman here who said [he] came from the hospital to vote, and he wasn’t able to go and vote as yet.”
FNM Garden Hills candidate Rick Fox said although very busy, the focus is to get the lines in motion.
“As you can see, they broke it up into three lines,” he said.
He continued, “I would think that both Mario Bowleg (Progressive Liberal Party Garden Hills MP) and I would like to see the voters going in, and they don’t seem to be moving for some reason.
“I am not sure why, but I think that it’s a little crowded inside too.
“It’s 10:15 a.m. now, and I hope to get many of our seniors out of the sun and into the gym as soon as possible. And even the other voters that are here.”
Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin said she hoped the wait did not turn voters away.
“I am hearing concerns about access and the length of time,” she said.
“But I am hearing that it has a lot to do with the logistics of the building.
“So, we are hoping that people don’t get frustrated and leave, but as we say, thug it out and go in and vote. It seems to be moving.”
