Special polling centres for the visually impaired

With the view to eradicate discriminatory tendencies in the electoral process, the IEC is currently initiating a huge project of setting up and organising special polling centres for the visually impaired and for disabled persons during the forthcoming Local Government Elections, slated to 24th January, 2004. This important move culminates from a recent census which indicates that the number of disabled persons has now reached of  2.8 percent for every thousand people in The Gambia.

Mr. Sambujang Njie, Director of Operations at the IEC,  said that these special polling centres will not be available in the forthcoming Local Government Elections, but will be provided in subsequent elections. He said this provision will help to facilitate easy voting for people with special cases.

Muhammed Corrah, chairman of GOVI, said the development is welcomed because it will help the visually impaired in exercising their civic duties and responsibilities. He then added that there is a need for a consultative meeting that will bring together IEC and GOVI in order to make sure that these special polling centres do not bring about segregation.

Mr Corrah further recalled a case in the First Republic, during which he was accompanied by somebody to go in and cast his vote, but he was intentionally directed to the wrong booth where he casted his vote unknowingly.  Currently the IEC has a special chapter in their polling regulations handbook, which provides those with special cases the voting assistance they really require.