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Elections 2011…Better requirements needed for persons with disabilities
– Council Chairperson
The Guyana Council of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities is pleased that persons with
A voter arrives at the Peter’s Hall Primary School on Elections Day
disabilities came out in their numbers to cast their ballots at the General and Regional Elections on November 28. However, several minor hiccups in the voting process were observed in relation to the provisions for persons with disabilities. The body is hoping that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will have better requirements for persons with disabilities by the next elections.
This is according to the body’s Chairperson, Leon Walcott, who emphasised that some of the Presiding Officers behaved like ‘Little Caesars’.
“One of them even rejected one of our Executive Members’ requests for his mother to vote for him and he decided that he will vote for the individual who is blind. The guy could have created a big fuss and thrown the Persons’ with Disability Act at him but he did not.”
Walcott related that during discussions with GECOM it was recommended that curbside voting, which is practiced in other countries, should be done at this year’s elections. However, GECOM did not agree, on the premise that it is not in their regulations. Walcott stressed that regulations are created on the demands of the people and there is strong representation for curbside voting.
He explained that with curbside voting, persons with physical limitations, elders, and those unable to stand in line, may vote outside of the polling places, in the closest available parking area, utilizing the vehicles in which he has driven or has been driven in to the polls.
Walcott stated that another recommendation given to GECOM based on figures was to have persons with disabilities vote at the bottom flat of buildings housing polling stations. In some cases, persons unable to walk were hoisted up the stairs by relatives and public spirited individuals.
“GECOM had agreed to do that in principle but what we had needed to do is submit to GECOM a list of persons with disabilities in the various Regions who preferred to vote at the bottom flat. However, we didn’t succeed because the various disabled people’s organizations did not have their databases in order. We are hoping when the next election rolls around that database will be in order because GECOM is willing to do that.”
He noted that the body observed that the registration document had no provision for persons with disability, which is unlike the census form which has provisions. Walcott opined that GECOM needs to insert that section on the registration form. This, he said, will help to make better provisions for voters who have disabilities.
“With the census, the organization was able to determine that there about 50,000 persons living with disabilities in Guyana. GECOM needs to insert that, we have that as part of our recommendations to GECOM. This provided information for the organization to execute its voter education programme funded by United States Agency For International Development (USAID).”
Walcott asserted that the programme was successful as evident with the large number of persons with disabilities who came out to vote. He stated that the body only covered seven of the 10 Administrative Regions. Numerous education workshops and civic responsibility workshops were held in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and 10.
The workshops did not only target persons with disabilities, persons without disabilities also benefited. The body received support from GECOM and the media.
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