Sabbath keepers disenfranchised in Portmore

Dear Editor,

This is an open letter to Director of Elections Orrette Fisher:

I write with reference to a notice placed in the news media and on the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) website for the Portmore petition signing to regularise the boundaries of the Portmore Municipality scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2015.

While the National Religious Liberty Association welcomes the move to regularise the Portmore Municipality, we must express our concern for choosing a worship day to carry out such an important exercise.

Having the petition signing on any known day of worship is a breach of the constitutional rights of worshippers to their day of worship. By selecting the Saturday, the ECJ is excluding Sabbath keepers from this significant matter in the life of the municipality.

We are therefore asking that the ECJ make suitable arrangements for the participation of Sabbath keepers with the opening of the selected locations on some days of the week and via the Internet.

We look forward to your speedy response to our concerns.

Nigel Coke

Secretary General

National Religious Liberty Association

Sabbath keepers disenfranchised in Portmore

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