Keetmanshoop
//Kharas Regional Governor Lucia Basson has urged election officials to carry out their duties efficiently so that political parties have nothing to complain about regarding the elections.
She made the remark on Tuesday at the official launch of the training of officials for the upcoming supplementary registration for the regional and local authority elections slated for November.
Basson strongly emphasised the importance of the task that lay ahead and why making sure that it’s done in a very efficient way, without any errors, is crucially important.
She said the registration of voters could factually be seen as more important than the election itself, as one can’t cast one’s vote without being issued a validated and authorised voter’s card. It’s thus important to make sure that the right people are registered in the right areas where they are eligible to vote, she added.
She pointed out that a huge task awaits them to make sure things are done perfectly, from registration to the final election day, so that there are no loopholes that can be used against the government after the elections.
She was emphatic: “It’s you who should make sure that some political parties do not blame the government again.”
She further stressed the need for professionalism and self-respect during training and the registration process, saying that it is common that some trainees “come under the influence of alcohol and this trend should stop as it compromises efficiency, effectiveness and commitment in general”.
“Electoral processes are not a jolly ride, they are serious and when not handled with care can cause havoc,” she warned.
The regional head also called on trainees to do it not solely for remuneration purposes but to show patriotism and for the love of country.
The training at the W.K Rover Hall, which started on Tuesday, is being attended by about 185 people and will run until Sunday.