— Gov’t supporters widen protests to Linden, Essequibo calling for house-to-house registration

By Venessa Braithwaite and Indrawattie Natram
HOLDING placards with signs “No Registration, No Elections” and “Give the youths a chance to vote”, scores of government supporters in Linden, Essequibo and other areas took to the streets on Thursday, calling on GECOM to hold house-to-house registration before elections.

Around the country, groups picketed GECOM offices in a bid to enforce the notion that free and fear elections can only be done after house-to-house registration is completed.
The current voters’ list has thousands of dead names and the youths who are now eligible to vote, cannot do so, since they have not been documented.

Member of Parliament (MP) Jermaine Figueira, who was at the forefront of the protest, said the government is in no way afraid of elections, but it must be done the proper way.
“The position that GECOM must hold house-to-house registration is a position that we in Region 10 strongly support because young persons’ names, in particular, are not yet on that voters’ list and, moreso, persons who are deceased are still appearing on the list,” he said.

The MP added that the 2019 budget has catered for house-to-house registration and when it was tabled in the National Assembly, there was no objection and the sudden rejection by the Opposition for house-to-house registration is most unbecoming and irresponsible.
Protestor Noel Perry said it is imperative that a clean list be put together before elections are called.

“People die, people are just out of school, and people would like to know that the list is put together the right way before elections are called, so matters-not-what the Opposition is saying, we are holding out to say ‘correct it’ before any election.”

Another picketer, Anthony Robert, said the call for a thorough census to be done is far from the accusation that the government is not upholding the Constitution. “I think we should allow GECOM to do the proper work and then we will hold the elections whenever the time arises and I believe the best time is 2020,” he said

Another vocal picketer, Dolores Gibbons, said: “We cannot have elections without house-to-house registration, we have a lot of dead people on the list, we have a lot of eligible youths that come out of school that have to vote, so we need house-to-house registration.”
One youth, who has reached eligibility status, said he has perused the list in his constituency and his name is not on the list and he strongly believes he has a right to vote at the next election.

WANT MY VOICE HEARD
“I think youths should vote because we need more opportunities and I want my voice to be heard. Also at the last election, youths came out and voted like a boss, to put the government in power, so we need to do the same again,” Dwight Bennett said.

Guyana’s Constitution provides for elections to be held three months after a no-confidence motion has been passed against the government. While the Opposition recently protested that the elections should be called at this time, GECOM commissioners have opined that it is impossible for house-to-house registration to be held and to meet the March deadline.
In Region Two, a similar protest was held. The chant “No house-to-house registration, no elections,” was loud in front of the GECOM branch office in Anna Regina. Armed with placards, youths shouted for GECOM to begin house-to-house registration.

“We need our vote to count, I will be eligible to vote this year, and as such, I want to go on the list,” a young voter told reporters. Other youths who joined the protest are advocating for the chairman of GECOM to thoroughly go through the list before a date is announced for elections.

Abdraka Perscott, 21, believes young people should be given a chance to vote.
“We really can make a difference, and as such, those who didn’t vote in the previous elections should be given a fair chance this year to exercise their democratic rights,” she said.
Sheria Peters was of the view that GECOM has a lot more work to do, especially in getting young voters registered.

Coordinator of the protest, Naithram, said it is an opportune time to call on GECOM to have a clean list of voters. He said young people, too, have a say in the country’s development, and as such, GECOM should commence the registration process. Joining the protest also was Government Member of Parliamentarian Haimraj Rajkumar. He echoed sentiments expressed by Naithram.

The protests have come days after the Opposition protested in front the GECOM Georgetown headquarters, calling for elections to be held before March 19.