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Arrange for students studying overseas to vote

Feb 26, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
I have been following the debate surrounding overseas voting since it was raised by Mr. Ralph Ramkarran about a year ago. The arguments for and against the re-introduction of overseas voting, equally have their merits and demerits. However, I wish to speak on this issue from another perspective.
On a personal note, I did not participate in the 2006 elections because I was a student in Cuba. During my six-year stint, there were several elections held around the world. Students mainly from the Caribbean and Latin America were taken home on specially chartered flights or were sent tickets for them to exercise their franchise by their respective governments.
Venezuela and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are two such examples. On the other hand, students from Asia and Africa were allowed to exercise their franchise at their respective embassies. Mozambique and Senegal are two such examples. I am already registered in the house to house exercise conducted in 2008 by the Guyana Elections Commission, but am currently studying in Japan. Under the given circumstances I would have to return physically to obtain the new ID card and vote.
While I do not have the statistics I am certain that there are probably in excess of 2000 Guyanese scholars currently overseas in countries such as Cuba with the majority and as far as China, India and Japan. The list of scholars can be easily corroborated between the Public Service Ministry, GECOM and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Editor, the point I am making is that our scholars have not migrated. They are overseas with the sole purpose of becoming better trained and equipped to return and assist in the development of our dear nation. These Guyanese ambassadors should therefore be allowed the right to vote at the Embassy or Consulate at which they have been registered.
I cannot envisage arguments against this suggestion.
Dr. Devon Dublin

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