| Ombudsman continues to probe post-election complaints |
| Observer Reporter Friday, January 03, 2003 |
THE Office of the Political Ombudsman said investigations are continuing into the nearly five dozen complaints of political misconduct, violence and other atrocities arising from the October 16 general elections.
A statement from that office said the complainants will begin appearing before political ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair on Monday in order to facilitate the process of further investigations into the allegations.
"The Office of the Political Ombudsman continues to actively investigate the 58 crucial complaints that have been reported to the Office during the recent election campaign," the statement said.
At the same time, the Ombudsman Office said that it had "amicably" settled some of the complaints it received from members of the public and political officials during the pre-election season.
But in addition to investigating allegations of pre and post-election misconduct, the Office of the Political Ombudsman has also been conducting informal surveys to improve its service to members of the public as the country moves towards the process of electoral reform.
Said the statement: "The Office of the Political Ombudsman has sought to use the period after the general elections to hold meetings with persons from all sectors of Jamaican life. The purpose of such meetings were to glean from citizens the impact of the Office and to gain insights as we move toward strengthening the political process that will inevitably promote true democracy, nation building and sustained peace.
"This office would like to encourage politicians and elected officials to continue to take the call of service to the nation as a primary responsibility. The call to serve one's nation must be exemplified by leadership that is driven by morals, ethics and love for country."