Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon
The Bharrat Jagdeo administration has said that funds have been allocated to the Guyana Elections Commission for the registration of officials nationwide, to ensure that the claims and objections exercise is run smoothly. This announcement was made on Wednesday, but the Alliance For Change said it is upset that GECOM had to reduce the number of days for the claims and objections period due to no fault of the political parties.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr Roger Luncheon, told reporters on Wednesday that Cabinet has noted that it is the responsibility of GECOM to have the significant number of uncollected identification cards be put in the possession of their owners.
“This is to ensure a smooth flow when individuals turn-up to cast their votes come elections day,” he said.
These matters, the HPS noted, will be kept under constant review by government, to ensure that they are not dealt with in an adverse manner. However, the AFC said that it has written GECOM seeking an urgent audience with regard to a number of concerns which have recently occupied the party’s attention. Firstly, the AFC said, it is seriously concerned over GECOM’s postponement of the earlier scheduled claims and objections period, which resulted in the earliest possible date for elections being rescheduled. This delay occurred in spite of the assurances provided at our meeting of March 1, 2011, where it was stated that no impediments existed, save and except the timely release of requested funds.
“The AFC is not comfortable with the unilateral reduction of the now commenced claims and objections period from 42 days to 32 days, which directly resulted from GECOM’s actions as detailed above. Moreover, the electronic version of the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) should be in such a format as to render it useful to facilitate the quick check of names of persons contained therein. In the preparation for 2006 elections, these files were provided in such a useable format, thus we expect that the same shall be done for the forth coming elections.”
According to the AFC, its requests that the electronic copy of the list of persons not included in the National Register of Registrants due to the lack of source documents should be made available.
Meanwhile, the ruling Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic said it has been actively ensuring that all Guyanese use the current claims and objections period to ensure they are on the voters list. According to the party, since the commencement of this process, the party had appointed scrutineers for all the GECOM centres countrywide. Our scrutineers have reported that the queries or concerns of persons visiting the GECOM offices are being addressed in a professional and timely manner.
“Additionally, our party activists are conducting house-to-house follow up work and they are identifying those persons whose transactions are not completed. This includes those who have not uplifted their ID cards and those who have problems with regards to securing birth certificates for registration. Emphasis is also being placed on those who have attained voting age and have not yet registered; those who have registered and own ID cards but their names are not listed; persons who have requested transfers from one division to another and are encountering difficulties, and persons with incorrect particulars on the voters list,” the PPP/C said in a statement.
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