GECOM Chair says no to biometrics

Jan 18, 2025 News

…cites tight timeframe for implementation before elections

Kaieteur News- Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh has ruled out the use of biometrics at the 2025 elections. The decision was made at a meeting with Commissioners at the GECOM Headquarters in Kingston on Friday.

Members of the joint political opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) have been lobbying for use of a biometric data system at this year’s General and Regional Elections.

Chairperson GECOM, Justice Claudette Singh (Retired)

While GECOM did not release a statement on the decision, People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Commissioner Sase Gunraj told Kaieteur News that Justice Singh found that while biometrics is feasible, it cannot be implemented in time for the 2025 elections.

Kaieteur News understands that in making her determination, Justice Singh considered a number of factors that would need to be in place before introducing biometrics; these include public consultation on the use of the system as well as training of GECOM staff on the use of the biometric equipment.

Meanwhile, in response to decision, AFC Member of Parliament (MP), David Patterson in a Facebook past post opined that the decision was one for the electorate.

“What one would have expected was that the Chairperson would have instructed the CEO and his team to prepare a programme for implementation, and share it with all stakeholders, after review, the decision on how to proceed could be made collectively.

If important decisions were allowed to be discussed fully in the public space, many of the criticisms (pros or cons) would be avoided,” Patterson said.

Earlier this year, the opposition-led People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) renewed its calls for GECOM to put in place biometrics systems for this year’s General and Regional elections.

“Let us immediately remind the nation of two facts: (i) this study was conducted due to the persistent demands by the Opposition-nominated members of the commission, and (ii) the study concluded that the use of biometrics technology in Guyana would provide more robust protection and safeguards against voter impersonation, multiple voting, and electoral manipulation,” Norton told a news conference.

The study further concluded that such technology would increase accuracy as well as data security and efficiency in the system.

“What more do we need to hear? As the joint Opposition stated when the study was submitted last November: “We express our preparedness to lend support to all the necessary stages to arrive at this outcome, including enacting constitutional and statutory changes, if necessary. We believe that the technical and other concerns the CEO has identified in his report do not amount to insurmountable or irresolvable issues. We stand ready to engage in all necessary discussions at the GECOM level, the parliamentary level, and/or at the inter-party level to resolve these concerns to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, including the Guyanese people.”

Norton had called on GECOM to urgently advance the process to ensure the use of fingerprint biometrics becomes a reality for the 2025 elections.

(GECOM Chair says no to biometrics)

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biometrics, chairperson, GECOM, General and Regional Elections 2025, Justice Claudette Singh

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