THE Objections subset of the Claims and Objections period ended last Friday, with some 416 objections being recorded.However, according to a senior Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) official, only 45 were upheld after review by the Commission.

The Objections period followed the ending of the Claims subset last Sunday, which resulted in approximately 6,375 transfers, due to issues related to change of address, etc., while another 3,904 used the process to become new registrants.
There were approximately 1,646 changes and corrections to existing registration information, and 1,681 replacements of identification cards requested, 634 retakes of photographs.
The next step for the Commission, according to the GECOM official, is to undertake a fingerprint cross-matching exercise, relative to the new registrants.
The exercise is part of GECOM’s process to verify the information of new registrants – who after verification will form part of the National Register of Registrants (NRR). It involves an analysis of the fingerprints of registrants on the existing National Register of Registrants, as well as new databases, and the fingerprints of new registrations to eliminate any, or guard against, multiple registrations.
“If any multiples are found then they will be investigated. Once that is completed, GECOM will move to produce the Revised List of Electors,” the official said.
The Commission’s Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, at a prior news conference, indicated that the Revised List of Electors could possibly be completed by March 16.
Once the RLE is found acceptable, the Commission will move to produce the Official List of Electors (OLE).
Lowenfield had also suggested that the OLE is likely to be published by April 13. The OLE will facilitate voting on Elections Day.
Additionally, GECOM Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that the Commission’s work programme is moving as per schedule. “Our work programme is in step,” he said. (Vanessa Narine)