GECOM must fast-track measures to prevent from people voting for the dead

Mar 17, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

There have been varying responses to my recent letter which highlighted that;

The latest voters list has no less than 126,000 voters more than our resident voting population.
Of that excess, there are thousands of Guyanese who died overseas.
There is currently no mechanism being used to remove such names from the voters list
There is prima facie evidence/verification, by the Immigration Department, that votes were cast for persons who were not in the country, during the 2020 elections.
There is need for a mechanism that ensures that such infractions are prevented; and
Electronic fingerprint (biometric) identification at the place of poll is a mechanism that can be used to prevent votes from being cast for absentees, including dead persons.

The responses, including those of Bharrat Jagdeo and Clement Rohee contended that:

GECOM has measures in place to prevent anyone from voting for someone other than him or herself.
GECOM should ensure that votes are not cast in the name of the dead; and
Discussions are ongoing at the level of GECOM on the use of biometrics.

These are welcomed responses coming from those who previously contended that GECOM has systems in place which address my concerns. These responses represent some admission that my concerns are worthy of attention. However, the responses do not represent a commitment to confront the issues.

GECOM`s systems are obviously inadequate, since impersonation has occurred, yet they contend that fool-proof systems are in place.

GECOM has pushed-back on the implementation of the biometric measures by calling for feasibility studies for universally tested and proven mechanisms and has not engaged the commissioners in any discussion beyond the commitment made months ago to conduct feasibility studies.

I am therefore, on the basis of the information provided herein, calling upon GECOM and all of the concerned agencies to fast track the implementation of measures to ensure the travesty, of the dead being voted for, is stamped out. This should be a pre-condition for the conduct of any future election.

I also call upon Nandalall to come clean in relation to the thousands of verifiable cases of alleged impersonation for which he has the documentation since August 2022.

There is implied complicity on the part of those who attempt to nullify these issues.

Yours truly,

Vincent Alexander

GECOM Commissioner

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