Budget funds deposited and staff in place for SMS by-election, Supervisor Hughes reports

Everything is in place, including the budget, for the pending by-
election in St. Mary’s South, says newly appointed Supervisor of
Elections Ian Hughes.
 
Although a date for the by-election is yet to be announced, the 120-
day window in which the poll must be held is now reduced to fewer
than 50 days.
  
Hughes says the Government has already made the funds available,
and they have been deposited into the account of the Antigua and
Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC).

The budgeted amount of $100,000 reportedly was handed over to
the Commission sometime in early August, Hughes says.

Once the Writ of Elections has been issued, those funds will begin to
be used for the purchase of necessities and for paying service
providers, the Supervisor states.
 
 Meanwhile, Hughes says the same team that oversaw St. Mary’s
South in the General Election on January 18 will be in place to
conduct this poll –
although there could be some changes to staffing.
 
He adds that the polling-day workers will still have to undergo a
period of training and retooling for the pending by-election.
 
The by-election was triggered by former MP Kelvin “Shugy” Simon’s
resignation from the House of Representatives on June 7.