Principal Electoral Commissioner Joe Church was quoted as saying (July 24) that the April 10 polls (spring hunting referendum and local council elections) cost Malta €4.6 million. This huge amount was described as sheer waste of money. And it is.

I recount my experience on the day. After applying to serve as assistant electoral commissioner, I was accepted as reserve. On arriving at the Mediterranean Conference Centre at 6.30am, I was struck by the number of people already there sitting around a large number of long tables on both sides of the hall.

At 7am, we were given a few instructions and some six names were called and asked to report at indicated polling booths. During the course of the day only nine people were asked to replace AECs in some polling booth. Everything ran smoothly until it was time to call it a day at 10pm.

Someone was heard saying that there were about 800 people in the hall. With all due respect, this included a wheelchair-bound person. I wondered whether (if called) the Electoral Commission was ready to provide transport with lifter for him.

The general comments of people were that this was a vote catcher. Besides, by the look of it, some of those chosen as reserves did not seem to be up to standard to answer questions that could arise but were only there because this was easy money. Years ago, I was also asked to serve as reserve but, if I remember well, we were about 30 in all.

This is the reason why I honestly agree that this was sheer waste of money. As the hours passed, people could be seen sleeping on chairs with their feet up. They must have been having their share of sleep prior to being transported to Naxxar as counting agents in shift A.

In future, more consideration should to be given when making use of taxpayers’ money.