GUYANA Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally, has announced that a meeting with stakeholders will be held, before the month end, to address why a large number of people have not yet been registered. He said, yesterday, that the General Registrar’s Office and the Ministries of Home Affairs and Amerindian Affairs are among the parties to be represented.
Surujbally agreed that too many people are without the necessary source documents needed for registration but noted that this matter was made known to the political parties more than three years ago, since September 2007.
He recalled that the political parties with representation in the National Assembly were unanimous that only original birth certificates and valid passports, along with supporting documents, including marriage certificates and deed polls would be accepted for the purpose.
According to him, the political parties were presented with a list of the affected areas.
“We did house-to-house registration and we know where people do not have their documents…the political parties have this information,” Surujbally maintained.
He said it was hoped that some assistance would have been extended to the people, by the parties, for the relevant documents to be secured.
Additionally, Surujbally reminded that there are also many persons who have still not uplifted their identification (ID) cards and reiterated the urgency of the issue, in light of the fact that the old card will be decommissioned soon.
It is estimated that 9,000 persons are eligible to be registered and placed on the voters’ list but have not because they are not in possession of birth certificates or other requisite documentation.
The People’s National Congress Reform-One Guyana (PNCR-1G) raised its concern at a press conference last Friday and President Bharrat Jagdeo acknowledged it is a concern for all political stakeholders, while assuring that it will be given the attention it requires.
In an invited comment, General-Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Mr. Donald Ramotar, said the feedback from its scrutineers is that the problem affecting registration is more pronounced in the hinterland than on the coast.
He admitted that more work is needed, supported by certain mechanisms that must be in place and this must happen at an accelerated pace to ensure that eligible voters are on the listing.
“This is a concern we share…we believe this could be done before elections,” Ramotar said.