…holders allege sourcing them from regional Freedom House
…JP, GECOM scrutineers speak of non-nationals with national ID cards
DAMNING revelations of scores of persons residing in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) being in possession of fake birth certificates were made by Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) scrutineers during the ongoing house-to-house registration.
In addition, the scrutineers attached to the People’s National Congress Reform also unearthed several non-nationals in possession of National Identification Cards, but with no source documents to determine how these documents were legally obtained. When those in possession of these documents were asked where they got them, fingers were pointed to the Region Nine branch of Freedom House. This was according to Wendella Franklin, PNCR Chairperson, Region Nine. “A lot of persons have been going there, and we have been getting some concerns that they were issuing birth certificates,” she said.
She related that the scrutineers brought the questionable documents to the office, since the GECOM H2H workers were schooled not to register persons with unofficial source documents. Such documents were sent to the Georgetown office for further verification. Many fake birth certificates were unearthed in the North Rupununi district, in the villages of Annai and Rupertee. The scrutineers observed birth certificates with no official signature, without a birth certificate number and without the official seal. They also discovered tampered birth certificates, with incorrect names and other information that were corrected manually. Persons in possession of such documents allegedly related that they were able to obtain their ID Cards with the tampered documents, many years ago. “I think this whole birth certificate issue is a real sad situation in the region, because I know and a lot of people know that Freedom House has been giving out birth certificates for years. They were really in control of things,” Franklin said.
In fact, she also alleged that a former high-ranking PPP in Region Nine visited the Coalition office in search of a birth certificate. Franklin said when she questioned him about the allegations brought before her, he did not deny them, but said that of late, there seems to be a blockage in whatever system of processing was used. Franklin said she made it clear that the application being done at the ‘Coalition’ office requires the legal procedure and a waiting time is attached.
Corroborating Franklin’s story was Terrence Boston, a Justice of Peace (JP) who operates in Region Nine. When contacted, the JP said that many persons came to transact business at his office with fake birth certificates, and also alleged that they sourced the document from Freedom House. Boston related that one woman approached him with a fake birth certificate, and after realising he was suspicious, said to him, “Mr. Boston, I know this is a fake birth certificate. Sorry about it.” The young lady then reportedly confessed that her mother obtained the document for her from Freedom House in Lethem. Boston said, “Well across the region I came across birth certificates that don’t have the stamp of the Registrar General’s Office. We try to question them, and they say they got help from Freedom House.” The JP also related that he’s seen many persons who don’t have birth certificates but yet are in possession of ID Cards, even though they are not naturalised Guyanese either. Boston said this situation is prevalent in Region Nine, being it is so close to the Brazilian border.
NON-NATIONALS TRYING TO GET REGISTERED
In addition to the fake documents allegations have also surfaced about busloads of non-nationals being transported into the township and other communities and presenting ID cards at homes they are not known to be resident of. “Strange faces at various homes are claiming to reside there, and these claims are supported by other residents who are known occupants.” One scrutineer related that at one home, nine persons with ID cards presented themselves to be registered, but each of them had different surnames.
This newspaper has learnt that a similar situation occurred during the Local Government Election period, where non- residents of Lethem were listed as residents and were able to vote in the elections, which allowed the PPP to garner six seats, while the APNU garnered four.
When this publication contacted GECOM’s PRO, Yolanda Ward, she said she is not aware of the allegation, but will investigate the report today. The scrutineers are hoping that these matters will be dealt with thoroughly during the extensive claims and objections period that will commence after the closure of house-to-house registration on Sunday.
