Ossie stays in race after Elections Office OK’s nomination
(CNS): The Elections Office has confirmed that Osbourne “Ossie” Bodden is still in the election race for Bodden Town West even though one of the voters who nominated him was not on the official voters list for that constituency on Nomination Day. Election officials said there is nothing in the legislation to disqualify him over the nominator’s status at the time of the nomination. Bodden is campaigning with the TCCP against the incumbent, Chris Saunders (IND).
To be nominated in a general election, each candidate, who must meet the eligibility criteria set out in the Constitution, submits a completed nomination form signed by at least two registered voters from the relevant electoral district.
On Nomination Day, one of Bodden’s nominators was still officially registered in Prospect but is on the revised list for Bodden Town West, the Elections Office said in a release. The revised list was published in January and will come into effect on 1 April. It will, therefore, be in effect on Election Day, 30 April.
This means that the nominator was not technically an elector in the right district at the time of nomination, but the returning officers didn’t spot this fact at the time the nomination paper was submitted.
The release explained that section 29A of the Elections Act gives the Supervisor of Elections the power to seek a declaration from the Grand Court regarding the qualification or disqualification of a candidate. However, this section does not apply to the qualifications of nominators, which means there is no legal way to disqualify Bodden despite the technical breach in the rules.
The qualifications for candidates are set out in section 61 of the Cayman Islands Constitution, and the disqualifications are listed in section 62. Bodden qualifies and is not disqualified under either section. Therefore, he remains a candidate in Bodden Town West.
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See the list of candidates and their party affiliations here.
Category: Election News
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The registrar told me that I was not able to get a postal vote until the Official List came out, even though I was on the Revised List. To be fair that makes sense – what would happen if between the revise list and the official list my status changed – for example, I moved districts meaning I got to vote in the wrong district? But by that logic, how can her presence on the revised list count? Wat would happen if her residency shown on the revised list was successfully challenged? There is a reason the Official List is “official”. It cant be the standard for some parts of the law but not others.
‘Nothing we can do under section 29A of the law’.
I guess its a good thing they didn’t check section 30: “Offences in respect of nomination papers”. Anyone who signs as a nominator when they shouldn’t is liable. It wouldn’t affect Ozzie but might still be appropriate for the guardians of electoral integrity to apply the law. Before, you know, some serious breach occurs because no one expects the law to be enforced.
The great charles clifford stewardship of Bodden’s campaign did not catch that with all his legal background WOW! speaks Volumes though?
Mr Bodden and so called chairman Clifford will hopefully be put in dustbin after this election and retire from government and politics for good so they can’t continue to con their own people.
This is not about Charles Clifford, it’s about having a dangerous man replaced by a Caymanian.
Saunders has shown us who he is in his work life , and personal carrying on.
Time to stop Saunders pulling us closer to becoming Jamaicans.
You need to take a look at all the candidates. what is better- the devil you know or the hidden devil? Ossie is as dirty and chauvinistic or worse as Saunders.
Except Ossie doesn’t want to turn us into Jamaica.
NOBODY could be worse than Saunders…
For all of his faults, he is a Saint compared to Snakey Saunders.
Another Blunder by the CCP. First they messed up their name, Andre decided to post his poster in all districts and now this.
Can these clowds get anything right?
Check make sure he paid that phone bill too.
In my opinion, Haymond Rankin is the better choice for BTW. Ossie might have prior experience but it is time we get out with the OLD and in with the NEW. It is time for a younger generation of Caymanians to lead our country. BTW does not have the dilemma that BTE has, where there is only one alternative option to Sir Full Moon Brain Dwayne.
And we know for certain that Haymond couldn’t be carrying any demons inside him.
Dear CNS
You are missing one very important legal point.
If he is elected after being unlawfully nominated, his election can and will be challenged and the end result will be that his election is null and void.
Ossie knows he is in the wrong and should step down now to save the country the turmoil that will come after the elction
If successful, a challenge would simply result in a by election, not turmoil.
Great news Ossie.
Good try Snakey.
It’s time to have a Caymanian MP for BTW.
What an uniformed comment. The other candidates are Caymanian as well. Just because someone studied overseas, it does not make them any less Caymanian. People, do not fall for this division agenda. You do not want this for your children.