Independent candidate Arnold Cassola has taken to writing to Chief Electoral Commissioner Joseph Camilleri on Tuesday, to address shortcomings, which happened during last week’s general election.

The letter contains a list of suggestions which Cassola hopes the electoral commission will heed “even so that in two more years we will not waste time on the frivolities we have been discussing for the last 30 years.”

The first issue mentioned on the list is the fact that in the period between elections the small parties and the independent candidates were kept completely in the dark about what is going on in the Commission.

Cassola said that an example of this were the anti-Covid measures which he said were discussed only between the PL and PN.

“I spent months asking you for an update on what was being discussed between the PN and PL. And the only answer you gave me was that discussions were taking place,” he said.

He further explained that in order for him to get the desired answers he had to get in contact with EU Commissioner Didier Reynders. Apart from that, Cassola said that it had to be a leak in the press to finally find out what was being discussed and decided.

Another suggestion, which concerns “anyone who participates in an election”, is to have a right, not by concession, to have access to the internals of the counting hall together with his or her representatives.

Commenting on the episode, in his letter he said that like the PN and PL, independent candidates and small parties are in the same electoral race, which starts from scratch for everyone and thus they “should not be treated as begging for what they should be entitled to.”

As a solution to this problem, Cassola said that the basic minimum starting point is a representative for each district contesting an independent candidate, where smaller parties, with more candidates, would have more representatives.

Other suggestions focus on problems in the counting room

Cassola explained how he was not given a Wi-Fi password by the Electoral Commissioner in the counting hall. He added that this is humiliating, and asked whether such candidates are expected to be cut off from the rest of the world, from the press and from public opinion for a whole day.

He added that what was further humiliating, anti-democratic and anti-transparent, was the fact that the Electoral Commission initially refused to give small parties and independent candidates a copy of the district results, which had already been provided to the PN and the PL.

“This attitude towards us, small and independent parties, leads to nothing but useless discussions and tensions,” he said.

A practical suggestion he listed was to build some toilets inside the counting hall for the next election, as “it is ridiculous to go through 6 checkpoints, including metal detectors, to meet physiological needs.”

Addressing the attitude, he faced from the Electoral Commission, Cassola said that it should be more relaxed, as all small parties and independent candidates want is to be treated equally with their other competitors.

“The fact that the PN and PL nominated you doesn’t mean that you should reserve special treatment for them,” Cassola said.

Mentioning two personal incidents, in which he was involved, he said that treating every other human being with dignity and respect, regardless of their status, is a beautiful sign of civilization.

Further delving on the incidents, he explained how he was told to “shut up” by an IDOX official, when he was discussing with the Electoral Commissioner why he wasn’t presented a copy of the already printed results.

Cassola explained that since IDOX are there to do the scanning and overlook the proper operation of the computers, he doesn’t want them to dare try to speak to him that way again, as they have “no idea what candidates and small parties are going through with the unequal treatment of the Electoral Commission.”

Another episode happened when he went to collect the results of the 10th and 11th districts where one of the Commissioners, in the presence of to the Chief Electoral Commissioner, told him that they do not have time for him and thus were not going to take him into account as they had “work to do”.

Cassola closed the letter by thanking the Chief Electoral Commissioner for a fairly conducted election and urges him to warn this ‘commissioner’, as he should never address any person in that way.