-PPP/C urges Guyanese to use process to ensure their names are on voters list
-number of unregistered persons a major concern
THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) says it is progressing well with its Claims and Objections process and according to its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Vishnu Persaud many persons are coming forward during this time to uplift their identification cards.
He told the Guyana Chronicle that there are not many new persons registering which is a possible result of the continuous registration process that ended last December, and he also expressed optimism that the process will continue to progress well.
The Claims and Objections is a mandatory exercise, which commenced last Monday, in preparation for the upcoming general elections and during this persons who are 18-years-old and over would be given the opportunity to apply for registration. Such persons must be in possession of their birth certificates or valid passports and other supporting documents, such as marriage certificates or deed polls, as might be necessary.
When asked, he agreed that the number of unregistered persons, who are without the relevant source documents, remains a major concern.

Get on the List
A statement from the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) was issued yesterday urging Guyanese to use the Claims and Objections period to ensure that their names are on the final voters list.
“So far the work by PPP/C activists has enabled many Guyanese to have their concerns addressed and to have their names added to the final voters list,” the release said.
According to the statement, since the commencement of this process, the party has appointed scrutineers for all the GECOM centres countrywide.
“Our scrutineers have reported that the queries or concerns of persons visiting the GECOM offices are being addressed in a professional and timely manner,” the release said.
Additionally, the statement indicated that the PPP/C’s activists are conducting house to house follow-up work and they are identifying those persons whose transactions are not completed.
This includes those who have not uplifted their ID cards and those who have problems with regard to securing birth certificates for registration.
Also, the statement said emphasis is being placed on those who have attained voting age and have not yet registered; those who have registered and own ID cards, but their names are not listed; persons who have requested transfers from one division to another and are encountering difficulties; and persons with incorrect particulars on the voters list.
“Special emphasis is also being placed on ensuring that the names of persons who died are not included on the list,” it noted.
The PPP/C, according to the statement, remains optimistic that at the end of the current Claims and Objections period all of the concerns of the party will be addressed promptly after representation.
The party noted too that those who are still encountering difficulties are encouraged to make contact with party representatives or nearest Freedom House office.

Persisting Concern
Speaking on behalf of the People’s National Congress Reform – One Guyana (PNCR-1G), Presidential Candidate, Brigadier David Granger (Rtd), noted that he is satisfied with the Commission’s progress to date and with its preparations for general elections.
However, he raised the concern that a large number of people are still unregistered and therefore they are ineligible to vote.
Granger stressed that progress of the Commission is hampered by the number of persons that are not registered.
“We are concerned that some Guyanese have still not been registered….in some of the Amerindian communities there are still a number of people that have not been registered. There are also people in some depressed areas that have not been registered,” he said.

“We (the PNCR) have been doing registration. We have been following the registration process very closely and I am not satisfied that the Central Government has done enough to ensure that the citizens are registered,” he said.
Alliance for Chance (AFC) Presidential Candidate, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, also spoke out about the number of unregistered persons, especially in the hinterland communities.
He told the Guyana Chronicle that in the indigenous areas the people are unaware of the process to get the relevant source documents to become registered.
“The Toshaos are unaware of what they should do,” Ramjattan said.
He called for the Guyana Registrar’s Office (GRO) to pick up the obvious slack in having the many Guyanese without source documents more aware.
The AFC Presidential Candidate stated that GECOM’s efforts have been satisfactory in the lead-up to elections.
However, Ramjattan stressed that the Commission needs to ensure that the entire elections period is reflective of a free and fair process.
“Elections are not just about that one day. They include what happens in the months leading up to that day,” he said.
He called for GECOM to speak out against what he termed obvious actions that compromise a free and fair elections process.
Elections are constitutionally due every five years and are likely before the end of the year.