A cycle of claims and objections will not sanitize the list of electors

Jun 22, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

In the current situation of our country – where the opposition is calling for elections now and where the Government wants elections but with a credible list of electors – I have noticed that some sections of our society are advancing the position that a cycle of claims and objections will produce a clean list. I disagree with the notion that a cycle of claims and objection will sanitize the list of electors.
It is my understanding that in order for one to object to a name on the list of electors, authentic documents must be produced, for example in the case of a death, the person objecting must show the death certificate of the name to which the objection is made.
Editor, it is no secret that not all deaths in our lovely country are registered with the General Registrar’s Office and given the geography of our land, some deaths have never been registered. Permit me to present a hypothetical situation which should make it easier for persons to understand.
Jim has lived his entire life at Sand Creek in Region Nine. Jim is on the list of electors. Jim passed away in January of 2019 due to a prolonged illness and the family of Jim buried Jim. Jim’s funeral was ritualistic and followed the cultural practice of his tribe.
The entire community was pleased by the ceremony and Jim is no longer with us. Remember Jim’s death is known to the community but was never registered. At the time of Jim’s death, access to the community was cut off due to heavy rainfall etc. and no person that is certified to pronounce the death of someone is from the community of Sand Creek. After the funeral of Jim, the community returned to normalcy.
Editor, there are pragmatic situations like the one I created above and the only way to remove Jim’s name from the list of electors is not by a cycle of Claims and Objections, but by holding House to House registration.
I am of the strongest view that election is necessary and is a must, but a credible election is more important to me than just an election. For me, election begins with ensuring that the list is credible and to convince me that the list is credible, House to House Registration is the only mechanism that can do so.
Some sections of society are also saying that Local Government Elections in 2018 had the same list, but I disagree. Local Government Elections had several lists and in a nutshell, I have heard of many stories where ‘jiggery pokery’ occurred in areas like where Jim is from. So with that in mind, I support the call for House to House Registration. As a Guyanese I am proud of the democracy I enjoy.
Yours faithfully,
Ganesh Mahipaul

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