Dear Editor,
I write with reference to an article titled ‘Glaring Inaccuracies in Dr. Terrence Campbell’s Claims” which appeared in your publication on July 21st, 2025.
The writer begins by interpreting my appearance on APNU’s list of candidates with being a “prominent supporter” of the PNC. APNU is a coalition of parties so it would be erroneous to conflate my appearance on that list with being a “prominent supporter” of the PNC. It may well be that I am an independent supporter of the coalition or one of the other constituent parties. I am belaboring this point to highlight the absence, ab initio, of critical analysis in this column.
The writer, Mark DaCosta, purports to offer an “in-depth analysis” and determines that my position on GECOM’s deadlines lack “substantive legal underpinning”. Section 22 sub-sections (1) and (2) of the Representation of the People Act (ROPA) provides specific statutory deadlines for the joinder of lists. DaCosta claims that the same Section 22 states “that parties wishing to join lists must inform the Chief Election Officer “not later than such day as the Commission may by notice specify.” I have extracted Section 22 (see below) in its entirety and nowhere in the said Section can I find anything to resembling the quote cited by DaCosta. This is not just mischievous, this is fraud, this is dishonesty.
22. (1) Subject to subsection (2), two or more lists
of candidates shall be joined for the distribution of seats
(but not for the purpose of voting) if the representative
and deputy representative of each list to be so joined
gives notice accordingly in writing to the Chief Election
Officer not later than the 25th day before election day;
and lists so joined are hereinafter referred to collectively
as a combination of lists.
(2) No list of candidates shall be included in
more than one combination of lists and if any notice given
under subsection (1) would, if given effect, result in a
contravention of this section, that list shall not be
included in any combination of lists.
(3) The Commission shall cause a notification
of combinations of lists to be published not later than the
23rd day before election day in the Gazette and may cause
such further publication of the same, for the information of electors, as the Commission considers desirable.
Editor, the “legal underpinning” for my position resides in Section 22 of ROPA. This position is supported by attorneys, one of whom wrote the Chair of GECOM on this very subject over the weekend. One of GECOM’s Commissioners acknowledged last evening that their “operational process” is in conflict with the requirements of ROPA.
I will not engage with the remainder of this obviously flawed piece. However, it would be remiss of me not to state that whilst I have a high regard for the Village Voice, the publication of DaCosta’s piece was not its finest moment.
Kindest regards
Terrence Campbell
