PPP calls on GECOM to ensure credible list of electors after extended Claims and Objections period

THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) yesterday reiterated its call to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to ensure that a credible list of electors is produced at the end of this current extended period of Claims and Objections. 

“We want to start from now to ensure that the process is clean, orderly and transparent,” the party’s General Secretary Clement Rohee said, at a press conference at Freedom House yesterday.
He contends that GECOM must explain:

* The increase of almost 80,000 voters on the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE);
* How persons are living at the same address in Georgetown but are placed on different divisional lists;
* Why it has not yet conducted a physical verification of the discovery of 18 electors at one address;
* The discovery of 10 persons listed at an address at Prospect, East Bank Demerara, which is an unoccupied empty lot “overgrown” with bushes;
* The “ineffectiveness” of GECOM’s Mobile Units, due to the poor PR in notifying residents well in advance and the inconvenient days and times for residents; and
* The listing of approximately 2,958 persons, although deceased, are still included on the PLE.

Rohee said, “The PPP has always advocated in favour of a list that will not disenfranchise any eligible Guyanese; moreover had it not been for the many struggles over the years, the return to democracy would have continued to be a figment of our imagination.

The ruling party’s efforts are to ensure “orderly, peaceful and transparent elections. We fought tooth and nail for that, we have gone to prison for that and we have died for that…” – PPP General Secretary.

“The 6th Cycle of Continuous Registration and the Claims and Objections being no exception, the Party through its rigorous fieldwork have uncovered a number of discrepancies with the PLE.”
According to him, GECOM must take corrective actions. “Our quest is straight and simple to have free, fair and transparent elections,” Rohee said.

NON-ACTION
He noted that if these concerns are not addressed, the non-action could trigger the realisation of the party’s “worst fears” – a realisation that could result in a call for a new continuous registration cycle, which once done with party scrutineers, should ensure a “clean” list.
Rohee said, “If the list is rejected, it would mean that probably a new exercise of continuous registration and claims and objections may have to be done; this time with GECOM and party scrutineers to ensure that the list is clean and acceptable at least to us.”
The General Secretary also acknowledged that such a move could have implications on a move to the polls, in light of the Alliance For Change’s (AFC) no-confidence motion, which is currently with the Clerk of the National Assembly.
“There are a host of implications, I do agree, which we would have to look at if that situation arises but I would say when we come to that bridge we will cross it,” he said.
Section 106 (6) of the Constitution states that: “The Cabinet and President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of the majority of all Members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”
However, the following paragraph, Section 106 (7) makes clear that: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall, by resolution, supported by no less than two-thirds of all elected members of the National Assembly, and shall resign after a new President takes the oath of office following the election.”
Additionally, before the no-confidence motion is debated and passed in the National Assembly, the Head of State, Mr. Donald Ramotar, could call snap elections – a move he has since made clear will not be decided on prematurely.
Asked about his optimism that corrective actions would be considered by the Elections Commission, Rohee said, “At the end of the day, I don’t see GECOM holding to a list that the PPP, which is a major political party in this country, objecting to it….it has never happened in the history of this country.”

OPPOSITION’S STANCE
The position of the combined Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the AFC, on the concerns voiced by the ruling party was also addressed by Rohee.
He said, “The PPP has noted with concern too, the recent statements made by the Opposition Leader with regards to the coalition’s position on the massive increase of electors on the PLE. The Opposition seems to be confident that the list is not padded and has publicly expressed confidence in GECOM.
“This is the same Opposition that did not support our request to extend the Claims and Objections period by seven days; the results are there for the nation to see with regards to the amount of transactions done during this extended period; the PPP calls on GECOM to make this public.”
Rohee added that the ruling party’s efforts are to ensure “orderly, peaceful and transparent” elections.
He said, “We fought tooth and nail for that, we have gone to prison for that and we have died for that… but it seems as though on the opposite side it is not in their interest to have orderly and peaceful elections but one that is characterised by confusion, because with confusion the results can be questioned.”
Also, the Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DECO) Mr. Vishnu Persaud, responding to a query from the Guyana Chronicle, has confirmed that of the three parliamentary political parties, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is the only party that has raised concerns with the Preliminary List of Electors.
“As at this time, I am not aware of other parties expressing concerns about the PLE,” he said in a prior interview.
The DCEO noted that it is within the right of any political party to express concerns pertaining to any aspect of GECOM’s work, and correspondingly it is GECOM’s responsibility to respond appropriately.
Persaud said that if any political party is dissatisfied with the Official List of Electors to be produced after the Claims and Objections period is over, GECOM would be more than willing to address those concerns to the satisfaction of all concerned.
The Claims exercise ended on August 31st and the Objections will end on September 3rd. GECOM’s hotline numbers are 225-0278-9, 226-6557 or 223-9650.

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