PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Members of the public are being urged to be vigilant of crimes being committed in the run-up to the September 7 general election.

Public Information officer with the Police Service, Michael Pierre, said Wednesday that the police will ensure that safety and security will not be compromised during the general election period.

“… So that electors can freely exercise their right to vote by effectively policing election activities and suppressing crime through a proactive, intelligence-led strategic approach.”

Pierre, who was speaking at the weekly police press briefing, noted that the police have stepped up their presence as campaigns have intensified.

The Opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) has also weighed in on issues related to the upcoming polls, stating that the party will be vigilant against commission of any offences particularly during the campaign.

The party said it will use tools such as video recordings to record evidence against offenders.

“We are very concerned that TT (Trinidad and Tobago) understands that we in the PNM, our very large machinery are diligent to take recordings to take any form of evidence that is available to us, that we will be watching these election offences and whilst we will not be able to catch everyone, we will certainly be able to catch a few,” said PNM public relations officer Faris Al-Rawi during a media briefing on Wednesday.

The party called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to condemn all election offences and on the Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams to do what is required to uphold the laws of the country

He added that the party has received an “alarming” number of reports of vandalism of posters and the party’s chairman Franklin Khan had written Williams alleging a conspiracy to bribe people by the People’s Partnership.

“We have reasons to suspect significant sums of money have been and will be distributed by the People’s Partnership on the days leading up to the election and, in particular, on election day in order to prevent voting for the People’s National Movement,” Khan says in his letter, dated August 25, which was distributed to the media at the briefing.

Meanwhile, 18,727 people are expected to begin casting their ballots between next week Tuesday and Sunday, a week before the rest of the electorate.

CEO of the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) Ramesh Nanan said the process will take place from 9:00 am on September 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm on September 7, and will allow only people who have registered as special voters to vote.

Among the categories of special voters are members of the protective services, fire officers, polling staff, members of the EBC, persons with disabilities and people who otherwise would have to travel between Trinidad and Tobago to vote.

Nanan said Muslims who will be leaving the country to participate in Hajj next month will also be voting during this time period as the EBC had approved several applications from such people seeking special-voter status.

He noted this was an increase from the number of special voters registered in the last general election, up from 16,900 in 2010.