The $55,000 voting system installed in the Senate chambers on St. Thomas late last year has yet to be put to the test.
The electronic voting system was put in place by former Senate President Vargrave Richards at the end of the 23rd Legislature. But delays kept the system from being used during the marathon sessions in December that marked the end of the Legislature's term. Nor was the system used during the 24th Legislature’s first session in early January under the presidency of Sen. Almando "Rocky" Liburd.
And that has prompted another senator to question whether $55,000 in taxpayers’ money has been squandered.
"I urge you to not allow the people’s money to be spent in vain," Sen. Adlah Donastorg wrote to Liburd on Wednesday. "I am personally willing to begin using this new system as soon as is possible…"
Liburd, who is part of the new Senate majority bloc, said the new Legislature is still in transition, so he hasn’t had time to look into the issue. Liburd also said he was informed Friday that the system may not have been fully paid for.
He said the matter was essentially dropped into his lap and if he had had his choice, the system wouldn’t have been installed.
Liburd noted that Donastorg, as a member of the 23rd Legislature’s majority, probably knows more about the system than he does.
"Donastorg was part of the group that bought it. I wasn’t," he said. "We’ll look at it and the financial stuff. To the best of my knowledge, it hasn’t been paid for. My business office is looking into that now."
Former Senate President Richards couldn’t be reached for comment Friday to say whether the system was paid for.
While Donastorg said the reason for installing the system was to increase harmony and productivity during legislative sessions, Liburd said problems will still arise because of the rules of order used on the Senate floor.
The voting system not only records votes, it will record a senator's request to speak during debate. Rather than raising his or her hand or calling out to the chairperson, a senator will push a button on his desk.
Normally, Robert's Rules of Order and Mason's Rules dictate that the chairperson of a meeting or session has final say on recognizing a senator. Under those rules, certain requests, such as a motion or a point of order, take priority, something an electronic system cannot differentiate, Liburd said.
"The system is flawed," he said. "That’s one of the areas I’d like to see corrected."
Even in December, former majority Sens. Lorraine Berry and Roosevelt David had questioned whether the new majority would implement the system.
Donastorg said the system "eliminates a degree of subjectivity and helps level the playing field."
And even though the past Senate president didn’t use the system, Liburd said he now has to deal with it.
"Basically, it will be left up to me to find out how to use it," he said.
