Elderly voters endure long waits in sweltering heat

WESTERN BUREAU:

Community members have warned that the lack of foresight could discourage older Jamaicans from participating in future elections.

“The system must recognise that the elderly are a significant part of the voting population,” one voter stressed.

“They deserve dignity and consideration.”

Elderly Jamaicans were left standing for hours in sweltering 90-degree heat yesterday as they attempted to cast their ballots in the general election, with no seating or shelter provided at several polling stations.

Across western Jamaica, frustrated senior citizens complained that despite long-standing calls for better access, no special arrangements had been made to accommodate them.

“This morning they had a lot of senior persons outside,” said one resident of Westgreen in St James.

“They can’t stand up, some of them are sickly,” the resident added.

Another voter, whose father arrived at 6:30 a.m., half-hour before the polls opened, said he had to endure a long wait before casting his ballot. She described the ordeal as “a problem of slowness”, compounded by the oppressive heat.

Beyond the elderly, other voters expressed frustration with the long wait. One first-time elector said the delay was “discouraging” and that the situation “makes no sense”.

– Janet Silvera