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Joint Opposition fears ‘considerable’ disenfranchisement
Orlando Jaundoo
Krishna Paul Doerga
The Joint Opposition Political Parties (JOPP) have expressed fears that a considerable number of Guyanese could have been disenfranchised due to no fault of theirs.
The period allowing persons to make claims to have their names included on the National Register of Registrants ended Friday, but the Joint Opposition Political Parties restated the main concern of their representatives, that a considerable number of citizens who have applied to the General Registrar Office (GRO) for their birth certificates are still waiting in line.
“The consequence of this is that these citizens will be disenfranchised,” the JOPP declared in a statement.
The parties said that this is not a new problem. They have made strenuous efforts over the years, particularly during the House-to-House Registration exercise, to have the Guyana Elections Commission and the government introduce a mechanism to ensure that no citizen of Guyana would be disenfranchised through the failure of the government’s registration machinery to provide birth certificates and other source documents in a timely manner.
Unfortunately, the JOPP stated, this problem persists and during their meeting with the Chairman and Commissioners of GECOM, the Chairman undertook to discuss this problem with the Registrar of the GRO on June 6, last in order to find a solution which would ensure that these citizens are not disenfranchised.
”We wish to point out that there has been no statement or suggestion from GECOM concerning a solution to this grave problem since (last week Friday’s) meeting,” the JOPP stated.
They said that it is unfortunate that the impression is being cast about that the JOPP requesting an extension to the Claims and Objections period. “That is a complete misrepresentation and totally untrue.”
In addition, the JOPP are concerned about the people of Region Nine who have suffered major displacement due to their communities being inundated by flood waters.
“The consequence of this is that these citizens will be doubly disadvantaged if no solution has been put in place by GECOM to ensure that they are not disenfranchised, due to no fault of their own.”
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