The Electoral Commission was established under section 78 of the Montserrat-Constitution-Order-2010-SI-2010-No-2474. It is governed by the Electoral Commission Act 2012; (revised edition 1 January 2013) and guided by the Elections Act and Subsidiary Legislation (revised edition 1 January 2019.)
The primary function of the Electoral Commission is to supervise elections in Montserrat in accordance with any laws regulating the conduct of elections.
Under section 78(2) of the Montserrat Constitution Order 2010 (Cap. 1.01), the following persons were appointed as members of the Electoral Commission for a period of five years, from 1st May 2023 to 30th April 2028.
The duties of the Commission are fully outlined in the governing legislation namely; the Electoral Commission Act, the Elections Act, and the Montserrat Constitution Order 2010. A summary of the duties of the Commission is as follows;
The Electoral Commission and by extension elections are financed through the monies that are appropriated to it by the Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Barrington B. Chalmers was appointed as Chairman of the Electoral Commission for a period of five years, from 1st May 2023 to 30th April 2028.
Mr. Chalmers or Barry as he is more commonly known is a businessman in Montserrat who is devoted to the commercial growth and consolidation of his cherished nation of Montserrat. He is presently the Director of BBC Radio & TV Limited Company and the Manager of BBC Hardware located in Brades.
Over the past thirty years, Mr. Chalmers has been dedicated to the design and construction of both Residential and Commercial Buildings. He fervently believes that everyone can realize a portion of the Great Montserrat dream of home ownership.
One of his proudest achievements was being one of the first businessmen to break ground in Brades over 25 years ago, with the construction of the first BBC Radio & TV Building during the volcanic eruptions. This project developed over the years in order to not only expand the range of services offered by his family business but also
to offer diverse services and affordable rental/lease accommodations to a wide range of fellow businesses, thus achieving another of his goals, the further strengthening of the Brades commercial sector.
His interests include playing the piano and singing church hymns. Additionally, he appreciates the fellowship of his church family.
Dr. Sheron C. Burns was appointed as a member of the Electoral Commission for a period of five years, from 18 September to 30 April 2028.
Dr. Burns began her career as an educator in 1987 at the Plymouth Primary School, in Montserrat. In 2006, she was appointed Education Officer, Early Childhood Education, responsible for pre-primary education on the island.
In November 2014 Dr. Burns was seconded to the University of the West Indies School of Education, Cave Hill Campus where she spearheaded the development of the Bachelor in Education, Early Childhood Care, and Education program which was launched in August 2018.
The implementation of that initiative, saw the first cohort successfully completing the program. After that, on July 31, 2021, Dr. Burns opted to return home. She is currently the Community Liaison Officer for the Montserrat Port Development Project.
Dr. Burns has been involved in a variety of local community groups and organizations. She has served on the boards of the Montserrat National Trust, the St Patrick’s Cooperative Credit Union, and the Methodist Church, Montserrat Circuit. She has been engaged with national census’, population survey exercises, and general elections.
Miss Lovetta Silcott was appointed as a member of the Electoral Commission for a period of five years, from 1 May 2023 to 30 April 2028.
Miss Silcott has been a licensed attorney for 13 years. She attended the University of East London and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 2008.
In 2009 Miss Silcott earned an LLM in International Corporate Governance, Financial Regulation, and Economic Law from the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London. She went on in 2010, to graduate from the City Law School in London with a Diploma in Professional Legal Skills.
She founded and is a partner in the small law firm LAS Legal Consultancy as well as the managing partner of MNI Law.
Miss Silcott serves as a legal advisor on a number of boards around Montserrat, including the Social Security Board, St. Patrick's Cooperative Credit Union, and the Montserrat Land Development Authority. She also acts as legal counsel for a number of international entities.
Miss Ateshia Lewis was appointed as a member of the Electoral Commission for a period of five years, from 1 May 2023 to 30 April 2028.
Miss Lewis has worked with the Montserrat Social Security Fund for the past 26 years, where she is currently employed as the institution's Operations Officer. In May of 2023, Miss Lewis was appointed as a member of the Electoral Commission. She is a spirited individual who has volunteered her time both voluntarily and involuntarily to her community and thus brings to the commission a wealth of knowledge. She spent several years serving the Rotary community, first as a Rotaractor and then as President of Rotary. Lewis is now the Montserrat Track Alliance's Vice President. As an avid music lover, Miss Lewis portrays her love for the art form by being a member of the Montserrat Emerald Community Singers and participating as a member of her church’s choir. Throughout her life, she has made several contributions to the rebuilding of Montserrat, and as a member of the Electoral Commission, her commitment is even stronger in making the lives of the people of Montserrat better. Miss Lewis's devotion to democratic principles and values of fairness and natural justice remains paramount to the core of her very being.
