A top electoral official here has expressed concern over the state of the voters' list, ahead of general elections which are constitutionally due in March 2009.

Bishop Ewing Dorsett, a member of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission, said that while there was nothing to suggest the electoral list was inflated, he was concerned that people have not been coming forward to query any of the names on the list.

"I do not know that the list is bloated, but I am concerned that there have been no claims and objections," Dorsett said. "If I knew for a fact (that the list was bloated) ... I would have been going to other quarters."

Dorsett, one of five appointed commissioners, said members of the public have not been vigilant in ensuring that the list is vetted to guard against duplications and other irregularities.

"Since elections (in) 2004, we have had no claims or objections officially come before the commission," he said. "It amazes me that we have had movements of thousands of people from one constituency to the other in these 17 constituencies and we haven't had one claim or objection."

Vigilance

Claims and objections can be made by a voter registered in the constituency in question and Dorsett noted that it was up to the electorate to fight attempts to pad the voters' list. He said people with a vested interest in the elections, therefore, need to pay keen attention to the list.

"People are not taking a proper look at the list when it is posted to see what's going on. I believe that some folks have fallen asleep (or) maybe got so excited that they do not understand what it means to be eternally vigilant," Dorsett said. "I cannot say it too often or too loud, the list can only be kept pure when people take proper note and see the movement."

The electoral commissioner also warned that scrutineers, who are employed by political parties to assist with the vetting process, do not always catch errors or irregularities.