RICHARD Toomer, 32, assumed presidency of the University of the West Indies’ Guild of Students this week vowing to give priority to the vexing issue of campus security.

Toomer, who is pursuing a double major in International Relations and Public Administration at Mona, emerged winner from a group of four candidates who vied for the position.

He succeeds Damion Crawford.

But his win comes amidst allegations from two candidates Tanasha Buchanan and Michell Cameron, who ran for president and vice-president of special services respectively, have called for a re-election, charging that student voters were bribed at the polls on Tuesday.

“All the rules in the election booklet that we were supposed to follow were broken on the day of the election,” Buchanan, 28, told the Observer. “Candidates were soliciting votes by promising and giving phone cards, lunch tickets and dem thing there. I have witnesses who say that they (the candidates) were giving away stuff.”

And according to Cameron, the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) representatives, who oversaw the polling, did nothing to stem the activity.

“We brought it to the attention of the returning officer Leslie Harrow and Neville Graham. They did not do a thing about it,” said Cameron, 24, adding that her opponent Andre Pryce, who has been declared the winner, was among the perpetrators.

Pryce has however denied the allegations. There was, he said, no need to resort to bribery since he knew, from the outset, that he would have won.

The person that really came up against me really presented herself poorly. She had nothing of any substance to say to so the people just decide,” he said.

A petition calling for a re-run of the elections is being circulated with 50 signatures already secured.

Toomer, meantime, has accepted the presidency.

“I am very happy that the students gave me the mandate to serve them and to carry out the job for the (next) academic year,” he said.

Security at the Mona campus swung to the top of the students’ priority list following a number of security breaches, including the rape of a female at the AZ Preston hall, car break-ins and at least one case of a hold-up on a residential hall.

“We really need to look at the whole security problem that we have on campus,” said Toomer, adding that the first request would be the dismissal of the head of security. [See related story on Website.]

“And if that is not honoured by the university then there is a security protocol that is currently being looked at by the students.”

The security issue aside, Toomer said he also intends to see to the establishment of a dental centre on the campus, and more student involvement in community outreach.

-williamsp@jamaicaobserver.com