The Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) recently conducted approximately ninety transactions pertaining to National ID in the Women’s Prison, Golden Grove Prison/Remand Prison and the Maximum Security Prison.

Transactions included the renewal of expired identification cards, replacement of lost identification cards and first time registrations.

The EBC also explained that under the law, prisoners are only disqualified as an elector where there is a sentence of death imposed or a sentence of imprisonment exceeding 12 months.

Chief Election Officer, Fern Narcis-Scope, revealed that even though the organisation has always worked with the Prison Service on voter matters, this was actually the first time a project of this magnitude had been undertaken.

According to a statement from the EBC, Narcis-Scope also took the time out to express her gratitude to the Prison Social Welfare Officers who provided significant secure logistics and planning and who worked with the inmates’ families to ensure that

The Commissioner of Prisons Deopersad Ramoutar, also supported the initiative. He shared that he was thankful to get a chance to be part of history.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the EBC embarked on an identification card renewal exercise in temporary offices across T&T in April of this year (2022).

According to the statement:

“In April 2022, the to assist persons who were challenged to renew their cards during the
Covid pandemic. The initiative, which was a walk-in service, was deemed a huge success by an
appreciative public where approximately 4,500 transactions were conducted.”