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PPP to meet GECOM on Tuesday to discuss elections -Jagdeo
Kaieteur News- The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will on Tuesday meet with officials of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to discuss the Commission’s preparations for the upcoming General and Regional elections.
The meeting will also see stakeholders discussing matters of national importance that was circulated in the media.
This was disclosed by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo at his weekly press conference held on Thursday.
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo
“I thought it necessary to meet formally with GECOM to express our view. We have had the Executive Secretary write GECOM and next Tuesday, I’ll be meeting with GECOM to address these matters, and to debunk some of the nonsense that we see in the media in relation to this matter,” Jagdeo told reporters.
Jagdeo, who once served as president, said that the Opposition has no credibility to speak about free and fair elections.
“The question is biometrics or no biometrics. That’s not the issue. So, the issue is, has there been voters’ impersonation, and do we have a robust system at the polling place now to ensure that we don’t have multiple voting, and the answer is yes. So, I’ll be speaking with the Commission,” the VP explained.
Even though the opposition parties have been relentlessly calling for biometrics to be implemented before the 2025 General and Regional Elections, on Tuesday, GECOM said that the use of biometrics at the place of polls for the upcoming elections requires a legislative framework failing which it would be unconstitutional.
The commission said that it has taken note of the constant publication of opposing perspectives in the media over the past week, over Chairperson of Commission, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh’s decision not to allow the use of biometrics at this year’s elections due to the unrealistic timelines for implementing the system.
GECOM said the motion for the introduction of such technology was premised on allegations of voter impersonation at places of poll and that such a feature could serve as an additional mechanism for enhancing the system of identifying voters on Election Day.
Subsequently, GECOM explained that the issue became a prominent agenda item at the statutory meetings of the Commission, and it was during those deliberations that the Chief Election Officer (CEO), Mr. Vishnu Persaud, was tasked with undertaking a feasibility study on the introduction of electronic fingerprinting at registration and biometric fingerprint identification of voters on Election Day.
The feasibility study undertaken by the CEO presented several case studies on the use of biometrics fingerprinting in other countries, and highlighted multiple technical, legislative and administrative concerns.
However, according to the Commission, it has been noted that there are multiple reports in the public sphere that appear to be examining such an important matter in isolation by only attributing prominence to the benefits of the use of biometrics without due consideration of the legal hurdle and the challenges that can be experienced.
As such, GECOM said while the CEO’s feasibility study acknowledged the benefits of biometric fingerprint identification, there were several challenges highlighted.
Among the benefits highlighted includes a high level of security, as biometrics are unique to everyone, making it difficult for fraudulent activities such as impersonation or multiple voting to occur. The use of biometrics also offers a more accurate method of voter identification compared to traditional methods like ID cards or signatures, thereby reducing the chances of errors in the electoral process, guarding against electoral fraud. It also ensures the integrity of the voting process, and the use of biometric fingerprints can streamline the voter identification process, leading to faster and more efficient voting.
Several challenges were also highlighted by the Commission. Those including, technical, inclusivity, infrastructure, legal and ethical, and operational.
The Commission reminded that it must operate within the constitutional and legislative provisions that exist to ensure that no voter is denied of his or her constitutional right to vote.
(PPP to meet GECOM on Tuesday to discuss elections -Jagdeo)
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