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Professor Errol Miller quitting Electoral Commission of Jamaica
Dr Herbert Thompson likely to replace Miller as head of ECJ
BY PAUL HENRY Crime/Court Desk co-ordinator henryp@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
PROFESSOR Errol Miller is to resign next month as chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ).
Miller is expected to hand in his resignation to Governor General Sir Patrick
Allen at the end of December, ending a 12-year run that has seen an electoral system transformed from being fraught with corruption of varying degrees, political intimidation and violence to one of the best in the world today.
MILLER… it was my privilege to lead at a time when we built on the work of the people who went before
"I think I have done my best; I've made whatever contribution I can make.
We have done quite a lot. The country has accomplished a lot," Miller told the Jamaica Observer when contacted by telephone yesterday.
"It was my privilege to lead at a time when we built on the work of the people who went before," added Miller, who cited family reasons for his decision to step down.
Miller, a source said, had in September declared to members during a meeting of the commission his intent to resign, which is coming a year before his tenure is due to end.
Yesterday, he moved to dismiss any speculation that he has been pushed from the post as a result of his public dust-up last year with controversial Jamaica Labour Party member of parliament Everald Warmington over an assertion that he (Miller) held residency in Barbados for close to a decade, which would be a contravention of the Electoral Commission (Interim) Act 2006.
"I understand that there will be speculations. But nobody is pushing me. That is totally not so," said Miller in response to queries from the Observer. "I'm not doing anything because of any pressure."
Miller said he intended to resign earlier but noted that he stayed on because of Warmington's allegations.
Warmington in May last year tabled a resolution in Parliament calling for the ouster of any member of the ECJ with foreign residency. Miller, in a subsequent interview with the Observer, dismissed his assertion, saying that there was nothing within the laws to prevent the spouse, husband or wife of a commission member from living abroad and for that member to visit, as is the case with him.
A source said yesterday that commission member Dr Herbert Thompson, the former president of the Manchester-based Northern Caribbean University, was tipped to replace Miller as head of the ECJ.
Jamaica has worked hard to rid the electoral system of corruption, including the stuffing of ballots and the nagging issue of persons voting for others, which has seen over-voting in some so-called garrison constituencies.
The forerunner to the ECJ, the Electoral Advisory Commission, was set up in 1979 — a joint effort of the two major political parties. The body, which in 2006 became the ECJ, achieved much success throughout the years, influencing key legislation.
The system was further tightened with the appointment of Danville Walker (now the Observer's managing director) in the early 2000s as director of elections under Miller's watch.
Miller noted in a recent interview with the Jamaica Information Service that the country can be proud of its electoral system, which, he said, has improved significantly since Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944.
"We have reached a stage where our electoral process is recognised around the world, and measures we have developed here are being adopted elsewhere," Miller said.
Jamaica has been called upon to assist the electoral system of many countries within the Caribbean and elsewhere and "our people serve on various committees and are part of various bodies", Miller noted then.
As a consequence, Jamaica has observed elections in the United States, South America and several countries on the continent of Africa.
Still, for all Jamaica's gains, the island is yet to adopt the ECJ's recommendations to implement campaign financing laws. The controversial matter is still in the debate phase before Parliament.
Yesterday, a member of the ECJ, who requested anonymity, hailed Miller's leadership, saying that he will be missed. "To a large extent he has driven the direction of the commission over the years," he said.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz2DWlaiclB
Dr Herbert Thompson likely to replace Miller as head of ECJ
BY PAUL HENRY Crime/Court Desk co-ordinator henryp@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
PROFESSOR Errol Miller is to resign next month as chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ).
Miller is expected to hand in his resignation to Governor General Sir Patrick
Allen at the end of December, ending a 12-year run that has seen an electoral system transformed from being fraught with corruption of varying degrees, political intimidation and violence to one of the best in the world today.
MILLER… it was my privilege to lead at a time when we built on the work of the people who went before
"I think I have done my best; I've made whatever contribution I can make.
We have done quite a lot. The country has accomplished a lot," Miller told the Jamaica Observer when contacted by telephone yesterday.
"It was my privilege to lead at a time when we built on the work of the people who went before," added Miller, who cited family reasons for his decision to step down.
Miller, a source said, had in September declared to members during a meeting of the commission his intent to resign, which is coming a year before his tenure is due to end.
Yesterday, he moved to dismiss any speculation that he has been pushed from the post as a result of his public dust-up last year with controversial Jamaica Labour Party member of parliament Everald Warmington over an assertion that he (Miller) held residency in Barbados for close to a decade, which would be a contravention of the Electoral Commission (Interim) Act 2006.
"I understand that there will be speculations. But nobody is pushing me. That is totally not so," said Miller in response to queries from the Observer. "I'm not doing anything because of any pressure."
Miller said he intended to resign earlier but noted that he stayed on because of Warmington's allegations.
Warmington in May last year tabled a resolution in Parliament calling for the ouster of any member of the ECJ with foreign residency. Miller, in a subsequent interview with the Observer, dismissed his assertion, saying that there was nothing within the laws to prevent the spouse, husband or wife of a commission member from living abroad and for that member to visit, as is the case with him.
A source said yesterday that commission member Dr Herbert Thompson, the former president of the Manchester-based Northern Caribbean University, was tipped to replace Miller as head of the ECJ.
Jamaica has worked hard to rid the electoral system of corruption, including the stuffing of ballots and the nagging issue of persons voting for others, which has seen over-voting in some so-called garrison constituencies.
The forerunner to the ECJ, the Electoral Advisory Commission, was set up in 1979 — a joint effort of the two major political parties. The body, which in 2006 became the ECJ, achieved much success throughout the years, influencing key legislation.
The system was further tightened with the appointment of Danville Walker (now the Observer's managing director) in the early 2000s as director of elections under Miller's watch.
Miller noted in a recent interview with the Jamaica Information Service that the country can be proud of its electoral system, which, he said, has improved significantly since Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944.
"We have reached a stage where our electoral process is recognised around the world, and measures we have developed here are being adopted elsewhere," Miller said.
Jamaica has been called upon to assist the electoral system of many countries within the Caribbean and elsewhere and "our people serve on various committees and are part of various bodies", Miller noted then.
As a consequence, Jamaica has observed elections in the United States, South America and several countries on the continent of Africa.
Still, for all Jamaica's gains, the island is yet to adopt the ECJ's recommendations to implement campaign financing laws. The controversial matter is still in the debate phase before Parliament.
Yesterday, a member of the ECJ, who requested anonymity, hailed Miller's leadership, saying that he will be missed. "To a large extent he has driven the direction of the commission over the years," he said.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz2DWlaiclB
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