Former head of the Public Service Reginald Dumas says chairman of the Cabinet-appointed Public Procurement Oversight Committee Timothy Hamel-Smith should resign within the “next 24 to 48 hours” after he urged citizens to spoil their ballots in Monday’s general election.
In his advisory on social media, Hamel-Smith, who is also the leader of a new political party called the Third Force, said: “Patriots, this is your last chance to protest. Say no to all.” He also advised voters to go to their respective polling stations on Monday to: “Draw a line across your ballot paper or write ‘None. Make NOTA (none of the above), the winner this election.”
Contacted for comment yesterday, Dumas said Hamel-Smith’s behaviour seems “inconsistent and does not follow logic.” He said Hamel-Smith recently formed the Third Force and subsequently withdrew from the election without consulting a member unit of the party—the Alliance of Independence—led by former national security minister Gary Griffith.
Dumas said Hamel-Smith as chairman of the Third Force have been advocating the need for procurement reform, which may be seen to be pushing his party’s position and not impartial. Dumas said in the wake of those developments Hamel-Smith should step down from the Cabinet committee within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Commonwealth Observer Group, Sir Paul Tovua, said he was unable to comment on Hamel-Smith’s statement. He was asked to comment during the group’s first news conference since coming to monitor Monday’s polls.
The delegation, which was invited by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, arrived on Sunday. Hamel-Smith was unavailable for comment yesterday.