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PNC, WPA set up committee to explore options on the way forward to get biometrics implemented before elections
—-says judicial review of Chair’s decision on table
Kaieteur News-The People’s National Congress (PNC) and the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) after signing off on their coalition have set up a committee consisting of members from both sides to explore what options are available on the way forward to have biometrics implemented before the 2025 general and regional elections.
Co Leader of the WPA Dr Davi Hinds d Hinds
Co-leader of the WPA Dr David Hinds told the media that seeking a judicial review of the decision of the GECOM Chair Retired Justice Claudette Singh, is an option that is on the table. “We agreed that biometrics are imperative, along with a clean voters list, and that the absence of those mechanisms poses a serious threat to the integrity of the elections…” he said.
Dr Hinds explained that the way forward needed more details, and they needed to properly sort out what kind of protest they were going to mount, the kind of activities to be advanced and they proposed that there should be a three-pronged approach.
Firstly, there should be intensified public activity, secondly, they are looking to involve governments of CARICOM nations and other international stakeholders officially.
“Thirdly, we should explore possibilities of going to court to seek judicial review on whether it is GECOM’s place to determine the timeline for an election, or whether that is the function of government. We felt that we needed a more structured proposal to consider, and it is in that regard that we agreed to set up a joint working committee: that is a committee that includes members from the PNC and members from the WPA to advise the next meeting on what measures should be taken given the broad areas that we have agreed on,” Dr Hinds explained.
He made it clear that the party believes that the Chairman is using delaying tactics to ensure that all that is needed to ensure free and fair elections are not put in place, as she has also said that the constitution does not prevent biometric but there needs to be “laws passed by the National Assembly to ensure that this happens”. The opposition has said that it is ready to go in that direction. Now, she’s saying that, look, we can have fingerprint at registration. Um, but it’s not going to be used for the next election.”
Dr Hinds urged the chairman to “get on with it.” Let the process begin and see where it goes. He argues that the business of the Commission and the Chair is not to talk about the timeline for the elections but rather to put in place mechanisms to ensure the most free and fair elections are held despite how long it takes.
He highlighted that it has been done before in 1990, when there were recommendations made but they could not have been accomplished by the stipulated date for elections at that time. “The PNC government at the time went to Parliament and asked for an extension. This was agreed to by the PPP and other opposition parties, and the election was postponed for 22 months to allow GECOM to do what it is supposed to do. The Chair of GECOM at that time did not say that it can’t be done. He left that to the government, and the government, as I said, went to Parliament, and Parliament made the necessary change in the timeline. It is not the function of the GECOM chair to determine the timeline,” he stressed.
(PNC, WPA set up committee to explore options on the way forward to get biometrics implemented before elections)
- biometrics, Elections, GECOM, PNC, WPA
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