GECOM warns Norton against threats to block ‘foreigners not connected to Guyana’ from voting

Nov 19, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News- The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has warned Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton against alleged threats to prevent foreigners from voting at next year’s elections, saying that the law is clear on obstructing someone from voting and that it was the commission to determine whether someone is eligible to vote.

GECOM made the statement against the background of a statement attributed to Norton which was published by the Demerarawaves under the caption: “PNCR polling agents will block foreigners from voting – Norton.” The article explained according to GECOM that Norton was addressing a public meeting at Calcutta, Mahaicony when he reportedly stated that “opposition polling agents would be on the lookout for foreigners who are clearly not connected to Guyana.”

“It is therefore absolutely necessary for GECOM to clarify that in order for any name to be listed on the Official List of Electors (OLE), persons must satisfy the eligibility criteria for registration as stipulated in the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08. The law provides for a Guyanese citizen by birth, descent, naturalization/registration or a citizen of a Commonwealth Country living in Guyana one year or more to be eligible for registration. As such once a person has satisfied those requirements and have provided authentic supporting documentation, they are registered in accordance with the legal provisions,” GECOM said.

Moreover, GECOM said it is important to note that scrutineers from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) are permanently present at all GECOM’s Registration Offices countrywide and are actively involved in the registration process, including the signing off on the accuracy of applications for registration transactions. “Further, Mr. Norton also posited that a means of identifying ‘foreigners’ would be when eligible electors are unable to speak proper English. In fact, it must be clarified that Section 72 (10) of the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 1:03 makes provision for this category of voters at the place of poll. Specifically, the law stipulates that, “whenever in the opinion of the presiding officer an elector does not understand the language spoken to him, he may appoint and swear, in Form 20, an interpreter; and the interpreter, so sworn, shall be the means of communication between the presiding officer and the elector with regard to all matters required to enable the elector to vote.”

Against this backdrop, GECOM said as the constitutional agency that is responsible for the conduct of elections in Guyana is “perturbed at Mr. Norton’s mischievous statements that can potentially cause fear and harm to eligible voters exercising their constitutional right on Elections Day. It must be noted however, that Elections are managed by the Guyana Elections Commission and political party agents will have no authority to determine who votes or not. Once, a person’s name is in the OLE, it means that all the necessary legal and administrative scrutiny were done and he/she is qualified to be so listed.”

The elections body emphasised that an election official or security personnel can be prosecuted for committing election offences such as deliberately obstructing or interfering with the work of an Election Officer and intimidating eligible electors. “Consequently, the Guyana Elections Commission is urging political stakeholders to be responsible and cautious about their comments in the public domain as these can potentially have effects on the electoral process and severe consequences.”

Only on Monday the Working Peoples Alliance (WPA) reiterated its call on GECOM to do everything within its power to ensure that the upcoming electoral exercise meets the required standards of a free, fair and credible election. “Despite pushbacks from the PPP, WPA continues to believe that more, not less, should be done to ensure this outcome. In this regard, we believe that a clean voters list and the use of biometrics would decrease, not increase, opportunities for electoral fraud,” the party said in a press release. It added: “We are therefore dismayed at the PPP’s insistence on retaining the status quo which that party itself along with foreign observers have deemed to be below the required standards of a proper election.”

The WPA said it notes Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo’s dismissal of its proposal to extend the election deadline, if necessary, to accommodate the required changes as an attempt to trap the PPP.  “It is apt to note that the PPP supported a similar proposal in 1990 which delayed the election of that year by almost two years. The only trap the WPA is interested in is a free and fair election whereby the rules and the machinery are accepted by all participants and stakeholders. We too are not interested in keeping the PPP in office one day beyond its term; we are interested in ensuring that the PPP and other parties do not use the current flawed system and machinery to steal the upcoming elections. In that regard WPA prefers to have the government remain in place for a short period of time to ensure that it does not steal five years,” the WPA said.

(GECOM warns Norton against threats to block ‘foreigners not connected to Guyana’ from voting)

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• Aubrey Norton, DemeraraWaves, Peoples National Congress Reform, Working Peoples’ Alliance

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