gov.ms : Continuous Voter Registration Montserrat
Organization : Government of Montserrat
Facility : Continuous Voter Registration
Country: Montserrata
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Website : https://www.gov.ms/
Continuous Voter Registration:
Persons who are qualified to vote may complete and sign Form No.1 of the schedule for SR&O No. 40 of 2000, Election (Continuous Registration).
A copy of this form can be obtained from either of the following places:
** The Office of the Clerk of Councils, No.1 Farara Plaza Brades;
** The General Post Office, Government Headquarters, Brades;
** The Sub-Post Offices (Salem, St. Peters, Cudjoe Head, Davy Hill, St. Johns, and Look Out)
Applicants may lodge the completed FORM at any of the said places mentioned above. An Application lodged at a Post Office shall not require the affixation of postage stamps as a condition for its acceptance for mail dispatch. The General Public is asked to take note and be guided accordingly.
Qualification of Voters:
The following notice is made under the provisions of the Elections Ordinance section 12-Qualification of Voters.
Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) a person shall be entitled to be registered as a voter and when registered, to vote at an election if he/she:
** Has attained the age of 18 years and
** Is not a person of unsound mind as found under any law in force in Montserrat; and
** Is a commonwealth citizen; and
** Has resided in Montserrat for thirty-six (36) months immediately preceding the date of registration as a voter or is domiciled in Montserrat and is resident therein at the date of such registration.
General Election Guidance :
1. General Elections have a number of implications for the work of Ministries/Departments and civil servants. These arise from the special character of Government business during an Election campaign, and from the special need to maintain, and be seen to maintain, the impartiality of the Public Service.
2. During an Election campaign, the Government retains its responsibility to govern, and Ministers remain in charge of their Departments. Essential business must be carried on. However, it is customary for Ministers to observe discretion in initiating any new action of a continuing or long-term character. Decisions on matters of policy on which a new Government might be expected to want the opportunity to take a different view from the present Government should be postponed until after the Election, provided that such postponement would not be detrimental to the national interest or wasteful of public money.
3. The basic principle for civil servants is not to undertake any activity which could call into question their political impartiality or could give rise to the criticism that public resources are being used for Party political purposes.
4. Clearly the application of these principles needs to be particularly sensitive during this period. The following Guidance Notes provide more detailed advice on questions of procedure and conduct.
5. If appropriate, officials should seek guidance from their Head of Department who may consult the Chief Establishment Officer.
6. At a General Election, the Government of the day is expected to vindicate its policies to the electorate. By convention the Government Party is entitled to ensure with Departments that statements made on its behalf are factually correct and consistent with Government policy. As at all times, however, Government Departments and their staff must not engage in or appear to engage in Party politics or be used for Party ends, and should provide consistent factual information that would not compromise the public interest on request to candidates of all Parties, as well as to organisations and members of the public.
7. Requests for information will range from enquiries about existing Government policy, which are essentially factual in nature, to requests for justification and comment on existing Government policy. Public servants, including professionals employed by the Civil Service, may provide factual information publicly, including in television or radio interviews, but should in all instances avoid becoming involved or appearing to become involved, in a partisan way in election issues.
8. In some other cases, where, for example, the correspondence concerns policies newly announced in a government party manifesto or where it calls for a comparison of the policies of different parties, it will be appropriate to refer the correspondence immediately to the appropriate political headquarters.
9. Otherwise a reply should be sent by the responsible Minister or senior official. Officials should draft such replies, whether for official or Ministerial signature, with particular care to avoid party controversy, especially criticism of the policies of other parties.
10. Ministers may decide to adapt draft replies prepared in this way to make party political points or to refer to proposals newly announced in their party manifesto. In all such cases the letter should be signed by a Minister who should be invited (on advice) to make a judgement on whether the letter should issue from him or her in a Ministerial capacity on departmental letter paper, or should be regarded as being written on behalf of the political party. The guiding principle is that the use of departmental letter paper and of departmental, secretarial and other resources for party political purposes is prohibited.