The funding in the Budget for general elections and by-elections has increased by 50 percent.

The allocation of $96,000 to the office of the Parliamentary Registrar an increase of $32,000 on last year, was questioned by Shadow Minister for Legislative Reform and Justice, John Barritt, last night.

"Does the Minister know something we don't?" asked Mr. Barritt.

The amount was outlined by Minister without Portfolio Zane DeSilva, as he presented the 2010-11 budgets for Non-Ministry Departments the Parliamentary Registrar, Office of the Auditor General and the Legislature.

Mr. DeSilva first gave MPs a summary of the activities of the Parliamentary Registrar during 2009-10.

He said the previous year had been a "relatively quiet" one for the Parliamentary Registrar, with the exception of the Pembroke East Central by-election, which drew a 39 percent turnout of 433 voters from 1,109 registered voters.

In April and May the office also conducted its "first ever voter awareness campaign", which targeted senior schools and the general population about registration requirements.

Mr. DeSilva said: "Seeing as this was so successful, a similar campaign will be coming out commencing April 2010."

He said the Parliamentary Registrar's office had also worked "very closely" with the Boundaries Commission, assisting in its review of the Island's constituencies, of which a report was due to be presented to Government "in due course".

Projects underway in 2010-11include linking up with the Transport Control Department, so that when someone changes their address on their vehicle registration this is relayed to the Registrar.

Members of the public will also be able to change their voter registration details online on the Parliamentary Registrar's website.

The office will also research alternative voting methods for people unable to get to polling stations easily, such as seniors. This will include telephone and electronic voting methods.

The Parliamentary Registrar is also to start issuing E-Apostilles this summer (Hague Convention 1961). As Apostille documents have previously been issued on a paper basis from the Governor's office since 2004, the Minister said this would streamline the process.

Mr. DeSilva said an electronic system would allow customers to send in their certification requests via the Internet. A web-based register would also allow for a faster checking system to confirm certification.

"The key objective of this is to encourage the general use of Apostilles by 2010-11 and beyond, in order to make adoption of the certification faster, more secure and more effective.

"By adopting E-Apostilles Bermuda will remain at the forefront of an international finance sector."

The Minister said it was expected $255,000 in revenue would be generated from the issuing of Apostilles in 2010-11.

Also in the coming year, the Parliamentary Registrar will assist the Department of Statistics in gathering National Census data, as from April.

The total budget for the Parliamentary Registrar's office for 2010-11 is $1,151,000 an increase of $412,000 or 56 percent on last year.

Up to $862,000 has been allocated for Administration a jump of 66 percent from $344,000 last year.

Mr. DeSilva said the increase was primarily to cover the addition of two new full-time positions a central Controller for the Non-Ministry Departments, plus a Legislation Officer to roll out the Apostille system.

Another $193,000 an additional $35,000 on 2009-10, is to cover the work of the Boundaries Commission. The Parliamentary Registrar's office is to work with the Commission in implementing any changes to constituency boundaries.

Mr. DeSilva said another $96,000 has been allocated to cover the expenses of any 'General and By-elections'. This marks a fifty percent increase on last year.

Mr. Barritt asked whether this increase was "in anticipation of electoral expenses".

"You must know something we don't," he told Mr. DeSilva.

'Rather than speculating, I'm asking, does the Minister know something we don't?"

"The Premier leaving in October, that might be one (by-election) on the list. Maybe there's another?"

Mr. DeSilva replied: "I think it's public knowledge the Premier is certainly going to finish out his term this year. I just hope we will not be going to a by-election for the honourable John Barritt, who is my representative in Constituency 12."

Mr. Barritt also questioned the Parliamentary Registrar's office being "lumbered" with the administration of the new E-Apostille system.

'I for the life of me don't understand why the Parliamentary Registrar has become the home for that, if it indeed is a suitable home," he said.

However, he welcomed plans to link up with TCD on change of address details to vehicle licences.

"Anything that links like that will be extremely helpful, but what we need is something more aggressive than that," said Mr. Barritt.

He said when he canvassed his constituency prior to the last general election, he discovered 30 voters were no longer living in the area but they were still registered at their old address. Bringing the voter register up to date as soon as possible was a priority, he said.

"You only have to think of the elections won or lost by 50 or more votes. It is important."

He also welcomed plans to allow people to change their details online, but said the system needed to have security.

"It's important to find out if these people requesting these changes are bona fide people," he said.

"If there's still a physical check being done then I can live with it."

Likewise, he said alternative voting methods such as the telephone or Internet also caused him concern.

"You never know who is on the other end of the line, if it is the right person. That said, I'm all for giving people everything so they can register their right to vote," said Mr. Barritt.