Local Talk Show host Claude Skelton Cline has expressed concern surrounding what he described as an unusual absence of election related activities in the months leading up to the next General Election.
“We are scheduled to have an election by May 12th 2023, based upon the first sitting of the last elected government which sat on March 12th… 60 days from there is when constitutionally an election is to be held”, he said.
Cline went on to explain, “I say all that to say… and I know some of you will find it curious that here we are 8 – 9 months max away from an election and we are not hearing anything”.
Cline said that this unusual silence is coming from all areas of the political arena. “We’re not hearing, we’re not seeing anything in regards to something that looks like, sounds like a campaign. I find that quite curious”, he remarked.
Citing instances earlier this year where persons had been coming forward to declare their interests in candidacy during the next General Election, Cline lamented that those fresh faces have also gone quiet at this critical time.
“We know we had some persons who back earlier in the year had announced their own candidacies of which at the time, some were of independent notion, others associated themselves with the previous membership in political affiliations, but the quietness is a little disturbing if nothing else”, he said.
Cline is not the first local figure to express concern of the lack of activity taking place surrounding the impending General Election. Back in July, Fourth District Representative The Honourable Mark Vanterpool told the house of assembly that candidates looking to contest the next election are making it appear as though they are awaiting a go ahead from the United Kingdom, despite being clearly instructed by the Constitution that the election is due in less than a year.
“We should be able to look forward to what happens, and by now it looks like people afraid to start campaigning eight months before. Everybody fighting and want to know what happened. We got a British Government Rule? Run things?” he stated at the time.