THE first week of the Claims and Objections period has been met with strong response from the voting Guyanese public.

“People have responded very favourably in the first week,” said Mr Richard François, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Guyana Elections Commission, in an invited comment yesterday.

Disclosing approximate figures as of yesterday, he said there have been 1,369 new registrations, 550 changes and corrections to existing registration information, and 1,399 transfers due to issues related to change of address, etc.

François said there have been 477 replacements of identification cards requested, 139 retakes of photographs, and 25 objections.

“The Claims and Objections period has been a very useful in the first week,” the GECOM PRO said.

The Claims and Objections period is the next step after a continuous cycle of registration, the last one being the Seventh Cycle of Continuous Registration.
Some 6,003 persons took advantage of the Seventh Cycle of Registration, which ended on December 31, 2014. There were also 1,163 changes and corrections to existing registration information which were done during the Seventh Cycle of Continuous Registration, as well as 1,248 transfers.

The Seventh Cycle of Continuous Registration commenced on November 30, 2014, and allowed persons the opportunity to register for the first time; conduct transfers; and make changes to their registration details.

Prior to the start of the Claims and Objections period, the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) was published to allow for review by eligible voters.

The PLE’s publication, as well as several other operational undertakings, had to be completed before a date for the Claims and Objections period was named.
The Claims and Objections period is necessary to finalise the Official List of Electors (OLE), which will facilitate voting on Elections Day, and is expected to end at the end of February.

DATE SET
President Donald Ramotar last month ended the wait by Guyanese people with the much-anticipated announcement on the way forward to bring an end to the current political impasse: A move to early general and regional elections on May 11.

The move by the President to set a date will have a bearing on several processes. Once a date is set, it will translate into the dissolution of Parliament, which currently still stands suspended under the November prorogation proclamation; political parties will then kick into campaign mode.

Also, with the President’s announcement of a date set for elections, GECOM now has its timelines with which to work.

The GECOM PRO, in a prior statement, had disclosed that logistical and administrative preparations have long begun in “earnest” for the professional and transparent management of the impending general and regional elections.

“The Commission now awaits the announcement by His Excellency the President of the date for general and regional elections, after meaningful collaboration with GECOM,” Richard François had stated.

The last General and Regional Elections were held in November 2011.

(By Vanessa Narine)