Delays, Violence Mar Voting in Bahamas

Voters streamed to polling places Friday to elect a Parliament amid reports of violence, missing ballots and voting delays in Prime Minister Lynden O. Pindling’s toughest test in 20 years in office.

A turnout of about 90% was expected, and observers said first-time voters and younger Bahamians could control the outcome after a frenzied five-week campaign marked by charges of corruption in Pindling’s administration.

About 99,000 of the British Commonwealth island nation’s 250,000 citizens are registered to vote to fill 48 of the 49 seats in the House of Assembly.

U.S. elections observers, monitoring the vote at the request of a U.S. Senate subcommittee, reported major problems.

Officials of Pindling’s Progressive Liberal Party and of the opposition Free National Movement, led by Kendal G. L. Isaacs, acknowledged problems at some polling places but downplayed the potential seriousness.

Allen Weinstein, president of the Center for Democracy in Washington, said U.S. observers had seen or received reports of missing ballots, delayed voting and physical violence.

“There exists a profound measure of administrative confusion in the electoral process at this point,” Weinstein said. “It may take a minor miracle at the end of the counting process for a result to be achieved that both sides, whomever wins, are going to cheerfully accept.”

Sean McWeeney, a PLP senator, said there had been delays in opening polling stations in strongholds of his party as well as those of the opposition. He said one polling place closed briefly after PLP voters were physically attacked.

Isaacs, who accuses the Pindling administration of being involved in drug trafficking, voted early and reported minor problems with a lack of pencils at one polling place.

Pindling, prime minister of the tourist haven since 1967, joked with friends and supporters shortly before he voted at 8 a.m.

Some voters said they waited up to 45 minutes or more in broiling sun to cast ballots.

Isaacs, 61, predicts the FNM will win 27 of the 48 seats. Pindling, 57, says his Progressive Liberal Party will take up to 40 seats.

The PLP held 32 seats, the FNM 11 and there was one independent in the former Parliament.