National Security Minister Dr. Bernard Nottage who also has cabinet responsibility for elections says various measures are being put in place to assist with increasing the current low voter registration number heading into the 2017 General Election Season.

Among the initiatives are more registration depots and on hand assistance from the Parliamentary Commission in communities where there is a prevalence for high voter registration interest.

“We are opening 23 new areas within neighborhoods where people live where they would be able to get access to registering more easily in the afternoon,” he said.

“What we are also doing is having mobile registration centers where people would be situated in high volume locations.”

Dr. Nottage noted that in some cases the delay in registration may be attributed to persons waiting until they are certain of what constituency they actually reside in.

“I feel and I think that there is some truth to the question of whether or not people are estranged to not liking their registration cards all marked up. Normally when the Boundaries Commission meets sometimes there are changes to boundaries so some people prefer to wait until these changes have been announced,” Dr. Nottage said.

“Sometimes you’ve been located in one constituency last time and then your boundaries change and you’re in an entirely different one so there are some people who wait.”

As of last Friday, 75,000 persons had already registered.

It has been widely reported that the Boundaries Commission plans to increase the number of constituencies by one.

The Commission was expected to work through the holidays with the intention to table and debate its report at the first sitting of parliament this month.

Speaking at Cabinet yesterday, Dr. Nottage also expressed disappointment in persons lambasting the government following a female being turned away from voting due to her appearance sometime last week.

“If people are concerned about parts of their body that may be shown or that they don’t think should be shown just take the photos from the neck up and that’s obvious,” he said.

“Persons that are attributing to the government some attempting to discriminate females is the most ridiculous discussion and I am disappointed in those who feel that way but I’ve given instruction that people will be allowed to register.”

Last week, Parliamentary Registration Department Commissioner Sherlyn Hall defended his workers who turned the woman away for allegedly being inappropriately dressed.