THE revelation that the names of persons now deceased are still included in the National Register of Registrants (NRR) database, from which the current Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) has been taken, is “another” area of concern.This was according to President Donald Ramotar at a press conference held at the Office of the President yesterday. “There are issues with the list,” he said.

The Head of State is contending that if the 2008 House-to-House registration was the basis for the establishment of the NRR, the names of persons who are deceased ought not to be on the PLE.
“How is it that these people who died before 2008 are on the list? This is an issue of concern,” Mr. Ramotar said.
He disclosed that activists of the ruling party, who are on the ground, have reported the discovery of several names of people who died before 2008.
“I haven’t seen a proper explanation of this,” the President said.

NOT THE CASE
The Guyana Chronicle earlier this week reported that Guyana’s first President, Mr. Arthur Chung, topped a list of scores of people who, though dead, are still included on the PLE.
However, responding to this, a source at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) pointed out that Mr. Chung died on June 23, 2008 and given that the 2008 House-to-House registration started on January 7, 2008, the former president’s name would have been included on the list.
On the issue of Mr. Ramotar’s concerns, the source added that there ought not to be any person who died prior to 2008 included in the National Register of Registrants.
The GECOM source stressed that as per the Commission’s procedures names are removed from the NRR only after the General Registrar’s Office (GRO) has forwarded authentic documentation indicating those persons have died.
“If the Commission receives a report from the GRO saying that a death was registered, then it removes that name from the list. The Commission has to see authentic documentation in the same way it demands authentic documentation for first-time registrants,” the source said.
The source added that, in the event that a death has not been registered and the name of a deceased person remains on the NRR — even a high profile name like that of former President Chung — the Commission depends on the various measures it has in place to ensure that no person votes twice or casts a vote for someone else.
“The GRO sends a list monthly to the Commission. The Commission does not go out for information…anyone who is reported as dead, the claims and objections period provides the opportunity for that name to be objected to, and there is a procedure to treat with any such objection with a view to determining whether the objection be upheld or denied,” the source said.
The ongoing process of objections ends on September 3.
Written By Vanessa Narine