GECOM has full responsibility for compiling Voters List

Dec 01, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,

GECOM, by virtue of the Constitution of Guyana, stipulates that ‘… the High Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to determine any question whether-either generally or in any particular place, an election has been lawfully conducted or the result thereof has been or might have been, affected by any unlawful act or omission.’

I note that according to the URP (United Republican Party) ‘new voters list is sorely needed …’ and therefore, is still calling on GECOM (Guyana Elections Commission) to embark on a house-to-house registration to create a new and updated voters’ list that excludes no one.” In this vein, the party, via Dr. Vishnu Bandhu, its Leader, says “Elections are very important for a functioning democracy. (as) They facilitate democracy, by allowing people to have a choice on who would govern them. Therefore, it is important that no one who is eligible (to vote) be excluded from voting. Every eligible voter who is 18 or older on the day of election must be on the voters’ list. At the same time, the dead must not be on the list.” Thus, he informed the nation that the said URP will not be partaking in the LGE for these reasons.

He explains that Guyana has had a long history, “… going back to 1968 of the deceased voting and of thousands of eligible voters, especially youths, (being) excluded from casting ballots because their names did not appear on the voters’ list”. To this I say that Bandhu needs to be specific, as pre-1992 elections characterised his recap.He adds that “The current voters’ list being prepared for voting in the March 2023 LGE is problematic”. To this I say that Bandhu is not following nor is he au fait with the ‘Rule of Law’ as it pertains to election issues in Guyana. He really needs to read carefully what the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall has been expounding upon in his many outpourings on many platforms. And then he hurriedly shouts that “The list is bloated, having the names of many deceased, creating vast opportunities for electoral fraud. (He details that) Many young voters who recently attained 18 are not on the list while the dead are somehow voting, how is this still considered a democracy?” So, I need to comment on all this gratuitous noisemaking by Bandhu and his type, concerning the impending Local Government Elections (LGE).

First, let me establish that the March 2020 Guyana Elections were absolutely ‘fair and free.’ In fact, the entire machinery for the March 2020 Elections was conducted by GECOM, when A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change ( APNU/AFC) were in Government and they had no issue to the buildup nor actual voting. Also, the host of observers deemed the balloting as generally free, but did recommend that Guyana’s election laws and GECOM’s management undertake some overhaul.” And right now, that is what is happening under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), as they want to preclude attempts at rigging.Bandhu boasts but does not document that “Clearly, the list (for the LGE) is not credible and appropriate for an election at this time.” As “The URP is of the view that unless the voters list be cleansed of the names of deceased and that all eligible youths have their names on the list, no election should be held.” I firmly believe that he is clueless concerning the registration and removal of names, where the Guyana election machinery is concerned. I repeat too that APNU/AFC did not have qualms pre-elections 2020.

A closing note now and this goes back yet again the post 2020 Elections claims by the Opposition. Just recently, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, S.C., dared associates of the APNU+AFC to show the public one case of voter impersonation to support claims made. They said they had a list, yet when the AG was forced to request the list legally to be investigated, they claimed it was a kind of pseudo list, accidentally compiled and with many mistakes. Sounds to me, like their SOPs have many stanzas. Editor, the bottom line is that every single potential voter is going to get to vote. If a name is missing, there is a mechanism to remedy that situation. Also, if ‘voter impersonation’ is to be attempted, then all the contesting party must be in ‘unified collusion’ with a silent public. I close with the reminder that GECOM is mandated by law ‘when’ and ‘how’ a voters list is compiled’ and so far nothing untoward was done by the body.

Yours truly,

H. Singh

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GECOM has full responsibility for compiling Voters List

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