Home owners loose dogs on GECOM staff during house-to-house registration

Jul 30, 2019 News

More than a week after house-to-house registrations commenced, enumerators of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) are complaining of difficulties.

Decision Time: The reconstituted GECOM will have to decide on whether it continues the ongoing countrywide house-to-house registrations.

In fact, there are complaints that a number of homeowners let their dogs loose when the enumerators came calling.
Speaking to reporters yesterday at the Ministry of the Presidency, GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, said that staffers were also told they are participating in an illegal exercise and would not be paid.
Lowenfield made it clear that staffers and enumerators will be paid as monies have been budgeted for house-to-house registrations.
He insisted that prospective registrants must be aware that the registrations are legal.
On the issue of house-to-house registration, the CEO said he will await directions from the newly constituted commission.
Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh was yesterday sworn in as the new chair after Justice (Ret’d) James Patterson resigned over a month ago, following a court ruling that his 2017 unilateral appointment by President David Granger was flawed.
With the President awaiting GECOM to advise him on the readiness for early elections brought on by the shock December 21 no-confidence vote by the Opposition that saw the government falling, there have been questions about the house-to-house registration that GECOM commenced across the country without a chair in place.

GECOM’s CEO, Keith Lowenfield

GECOM staffers themselves have complained that in some areas, more than 25 percent of homes are not cooperating.
More than 50,000 persons would have registered over the past week.
Lowenfield said yesterday he will await instructions on the house-to-house registration. In the meantime, it will continue.
He admitted that the new chairperson will need a short period to familiarize herself.
According to Lowenfield, of course, the chair position is a hot seat.
“She is not coming in at a time when it is downtime. She is coming at a time when we are on the sprint. Of course she would be under pressure to familiarise herself as quickly as possible, to be knowledgable and to be able to effectively participate…”
Meanwhile, present for the swearing in ceremony at the Ministry of the Presidency was GECOM’s commissioner, Vincent Alexander. He made it clear that he is not a government commissioner but that he rather regards himself as a Constitutional officer exercising an independent mind in relation to his Constitutional function.
“It may be coincidental that those who were nominated by the leaders of the government take the same position, but I back off from any view that I represent a side.”
He said in his own view, house-to-house registration was needed.
“It is not a question of timely elections but a question of credible elections as well.”
The Opposition had objected to the house-to-house exercise claiming it was a ploy to delay elections by the Coalition Government.
However, GECOM had urged citizens not to heed the calls as it had been agreed since last year to hold house-to-house registration.
In any case it unlawful not to get registered when GECOM visits the homes.
Government has said that the current voters’ list is expired and needs updating with thousands of persons who have died still being on it. Thousands of first time voters are also not on it.
However, the Opposition said that a simple claims and objections period can fix the issues.

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