MANAMA, NOV.25, (BNA) -- ALL CENTRAL GOVERNORATE'S NINE ELECTION CENTERS WITNESSED A MASSIVE TURNOUT OF VOTERS WHO WERE KEEN ON CASTING THEIR VOTES IN THE 2006 PARLIAMENTARY AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN A GOVERNORATE MARKED BY A HEATED COMPETITION.
CENTRAL GOVERNORATE VOTERS EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH THE SMOOTHNESS AND ORGANIZATION WITH WHICH THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IS CONDUCTED DESPITE THE LARGE NUMBERS OF VOTERS. THE GOVERNORATE'S CONSTITUENCY THREE, WHOSE CANDIDATES ARE ENGAGED IN A KEEN COMPETITION AND MAY GO FOR RUN- OFF ELECTIONS, WITNESSED AN ASTONISHING VOTER TURNOUT WHICH IS A STRIKING CONTRADICTION IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE CONSTITUENCY HAS RELATIVELY HIGH ILLITERACY RATES. IN CONSTITUENCY 2, JUDGE MOHAMMED ABDULHALEEM SAID VOTING TOOK PLACE SMOOTHLY AND WITHOUT ANY TRANSGRESSIONS BY VOTERS OF VARIOUS AGE GROUPS INCLUDING THE ELDERLY AND PEOPLE OF SPECIAL NEEDS. IN CONSTITUENCY 9, FINANCE MINISTER, SHAIKH AHMED BIN MOHAMMED AL KHALIFA TOLD BAHRAIN NEWS AGENCY, AFTER CASTING HIS VOTE, THAT THE CURRENT REFORMS TAKING PLACE IN THE KINGDOM ALLOWED CITIZENS TO EXPRESS THEIR ASPIRATIONS AND CHOOSE THEIR REPRESENTATIVES FREELY AND WITH OPTIMUM AWARENESS. HE NOTED THAT THE FIRST PARLIAMENTARY EXPERIENCE WAS HIGHLY POSITIVE AND WAS MARKED BY A PALPABLE INTERACTION WITH THE GOVERNMENT, RESULTING IN A HOST OF IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT POURED INTO CITIZENS' WELFARE, WISHING THE NEXT REPRESENTATIVES COUNCIL SUCCESS IN CONTRIBUTING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. REGARDING THE IMPACT OF ELECTORAL CAMPAIGNS, A WOMAN VOTER TOLD BAHRAIN NEWS AGENCY THAT SHE VOTED FOR A CANDIDATE DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE IN 2002, WISHING THE NEW REPRESENTATIVES WILL TACKLE CITIZENS' BASIC ISSUES WITH MORE DEPTH AND REALISM. ON HIS PART, HEAD OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNORATE'S SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE, JUDGE MANA'A AL BUFALASA SAID VOTERS STARTED TO ARRIVE AT CONSTITUENCY NINE'S BALLOT CENTER VERY EARLY, NOTING THAT THE CENTRE PROVIDES DIFFERENT FACILITIES TO THE ELDERLY AND PEOPLE OF SPECIAL NEEDS. IN CONSTITUENCY 4, JUDGE ASHRAF KAMEL SAID THE ELDERLY MADE THEIR PRESENCE FELT AND NOTED THAT VOTERS WERE WELL-INFORMED ON THE VOTING PROCESS. VOTERS WHO CAST THEIR BALLOTS AT ONE OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNORATE'S GENERAL ELECTION CENTERS PRAISED THE IDEA OF SETTING UP SUCH BALLOT CENTERS WHICH GREATLY REDUCED CONGESTION. HMQ 25-NOV-2006 21:52