With Barbados’ general election approaching within a fortnight, disability rights advocates have raised significant concerns regarding electoral accessibility, prompting official reassurances from the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC).
Patricia Padmore Blackman, President of the Barbados Council for the Disabled, highlighted multiple challenges facing voters with disabilities. Visually impaired citizens, she noted, experience particular apprehension about relying on others to mark ballots on their behalf, creating a trust deficit in the voting process. ‘They’re uncertain whether individuals assisting them can be trusted to honor their voting preferences, even when supervision occurs,’ Blackman explained.
The organization has implemented temporary solutions in St Michael South constituency, mobilizing grassroots information to educate election organizers about disability requirements. Their accessible Garrison office, utilized in previous elections, will likely serve voters again. Regarding physical accessibility, Blackman referenced last year’s St James North by-election as a positive trial, noting satisfactory wheelchair access and assistance at tested polling stations.
However, comprehensive accessibility assessment remains incomplete due to the monumental scale of verification required. ‘We haven’t received sufficient assistance to evaluate all polling stations, and now time constraints prevent thorough assessment,’ Blackman acknowledged. She also revealed that initial attempts to engage the EBC in discussions about independent voting mechanisms proved unsuccessful.
In response, EBC Chairman Ramon Alleyne guaranteed wheelchair accessibility at all voting locations, with priority processing for disabled voters. The commission has initiated dialogue with Kerryann Ifill, Vice President of the Barbados Council for the Disabled, to determine additional reasonable accommodations for the impending election.