But did the department prepare enough as it relates to the Port Loyola polling station at Excelsior High School?
Former area rep, Anthony "Boots" Martinez has said he's concerned for citizen security because the polling areas are too close for comfort.
But Tamai assured him and all residents that they consulted with the police before changing it from the Customs Department.
Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer
"Okay, well specifically for that area which is polling area 22A, in the past we had used the customs department because we know that there is always an increase in terms of the number of polling stations depending on the number of registered electors and so that specific area would require four polling stations and so we weren't able to have the polling being done at customs and excise, because if we had done that, we would have resort to using tents and those things, because it's an office space as well and so we don't know if that day it will rain or anything will happen because unfortunately in that area you don't have any schools or any other building that could accommodate the four polling stations and so what we did was to do the groundwork and found that Excelsior high school would have been an ideal location to have this polling station and so I will tell you that it went to the commission and the members unanimously approved for that location to be approved as a polling station."
"Yes, I know and I've heard even up to last week about certain incidents that happened in that area, but I will tell you I personally contacted the police in regards to that to see if there are any issues and the police have confirmed that they are able to provide security as they usually do when it comes to election. I also want to say that when it comes to that area we have our registration office as well right and that registration office on Euphrates actually caters for persons from Port Loyola from Albert and from Queen Square and so those very same persons go to this one office at all times so apply to get registered and so it has never been a problem so I want for persons to know that security is adequate like I said we wouldn't make a decision before consulting with the relevant persons to see that persons are actually safe. And so we're confident that there is enough security. In terms of the 100 yards line. I would tell you I personally visited that area as well."
"And if you would visit, you would see the distance from the gates, right? And so the only time persons may congregate outside is before polls open because the lines will be inside of the compound and you know that the areas have large compounds inside."
"And so like I said, police officers are there for security and not only that area but for all polling stations, which is the norm when it comes to any election."
