Latest update April 5th, 2026 12:45 AM
Latest News
- Bankrupt, lack of experience and faced with mounting lawsuits – Lindsayca awarded multi-million U.S. contract in Guyana
- Crypto, Cartels, and Collusion: GI-TOC Exposes Guyana as the Lifeblood of Venezuela’s Gold Underworld
- Kidnapping accused killed in crash on Mandela Avenue
- Iran rejects Trump’s ‘helpless, stupid’ 48-hour ultimatum
- U.S. deportation case against ‘Melly Mel’ terminated
AFC looks forward to a stronger partnership with GECOM
Feb 12, 2011 Letters
Dear Editor,
I wish to bring to the attention of the reading public a letter from GECOM under the signature of Mr. Vishnu Persaud. Let me make it clear, the Alliance for Change (AFC) is not the enemy of GECOM; we are partners in the process of holding free and fair elections in 2011.
However, we have concerns that not enough is being done to get the unregistered – registered. The issues Mr. Atkinson raised are a valid concern of ours. What Mr. Atkinson raised was confirmed by others in the area, so somebody must be misleading GECOM, but that is expected in any bureaucracy. Some people in any system have to justify their existence.
It is in the AFC’s vested interest to get all eligible persons registered, so why would we want to cast doubt on GECOM’s work, we want to help GECOM, not sink GECOM. All we are calling on GECOM to do is review its work and ensure that our concerns are addressed. It does require a full blown defence. The old people always say, where there is smoke, there is fire, please look into the smoke we have alerted GECOM to Mr. Persaud.
By Mr. Persaud’s own admission he said, “GECOM is aware that there are thousands of young people who would be of voting age, with respect to the upcoming elections, who could not apply for registration because they were/are not in possession of birth certificates, since their births were never registered”. Mr. Persaud said, “To date, our representations have not borne the desired fruits”.
So why object to Mr. Atkinson, he is on to something, isn’t he? Rohee and his crew are undermining the elections by not issuing birth certificates, thus disenfranchising the thousands of young people from voting. This is a deliberate strategy by the PPP to deny young people the right to vote? The AFC demands a resolution to this crisis so that the people can get their birth certificates, so they can register and collect their ID cards.
With all due respect to Mr. Trevor Harris and all the other registration officers, more needs to me done in reaching out to the people.
When the claims and objection period commences, they must visit every village both in the Amerindian communities and on the coastland to seek out the youths to get them registered. It is clear that a growing percentage of the population is not interested in election 2011 and it is the duty of GECOM and the political parties to make them interested; it is the law. So you can give two weeks or 10 weeks notice, the reality is people do not have the money to go to the registration centre and thus the registration centre must go to them or an option must be provided where the people at least get transportation money to the centres.
We in the AFC will do our part and look forward to a stronger partnership with GECOM and the other political parties to facilitate more of our people getting registered and correctly. We look forward to the commencement of the claims and objection period and will be asking for a meeting shortly with GECOM on these issues. In view of the foregoing, we humbly ask Mr. Persaud to be more mature and listen to our concerns and allow us to help GECOM to do its work.
Sixtus Edwards
General Secretary,
AFC
Discover more from Kaieteur News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.