THE mandate for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to conduct house-to-house registration to produce the best possible National Register of Registrants’ Database (NRRDB) is not a new idea.

The imperative for such an exercise has been expressed since 2008.
The newspaper found evidence of this in a 2008 media release from the Elections Commission, which shows the importance the then Commission placed on the holding of the national exercise.

In the said year, the country was in preparation mode for house-to-house registration to run from January 7 to July 4, 2008, and sent out a release to update the public on its intention.

Serving at the time as GECOM Chair was Dr. Steve Surujbally, while commissioners included Dr. Keshav Mangal, Mr. Vincent Alexander, Mr. Mohamood Shaw and Mr. Robert Williams.

A release disseminated by then GECOM Public Relations Officer (PRO), Vishnu Persaud, stated that the then People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government and the parliamentary political parties had all agreed on June 14, 2007, to the preparation of a new NRRDB by House-to-House Registration.

Of more importance are the efforts of the release to highlight the need for the holding of the exercise.

“The primary objective of this exercise is to establish an accurate, complete and current National Register of Registrants’ Database (NRRDB),” the document stated.

It added: “The imperative to conduct House-to-House Registration was born out of the need for the creation of an indisputable NRRDB which could be used as the basis for the preparation of Electoral Lists that would be commonly acceptable by all stakeholders as being unblemished.”

The last house-to-house registration activity in Guyana was conducted 11 years ago.
It allowed for any person, — a Guyanese citizen by birth, descent, naturalisation or is a citizen from a Commonwealth country living in Guyana for one year or more — who would be 14 years or over as of June 30, 2008, to be eligible for registration during the exercise.
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) last Tuesday ruled that the Motion of No-Confidence brought against the government was validly passed.

Today, the CCJ will make a number of consequential orders intended to guide Guyana as it prepares for early elections.

These orders could also determine how soon Guyana heads into new elections, and whether the national registration process is a consideration.

While house-to-house registration has been conducted several times in the past, the Opposition is now feverishly opposed to the idea, and more in favour of snap elections.
They are in favour of the use of the 11-year old list generated through the 2008 exercise to serve as the base of a National Register of Registrants’, along with any continuous registration process conducted in the past.

By contrast, Guyana’s Head of State has highlighted that such actions could undermine the rights of youths eligible to vote, and leave the door open to illegitimate practices, with thousands of the dead still on the List.

Scores of youths across Guyana protested outside various offices of the Guyana Elections Commission to send a strong message that they not only want “free, fair and credible elections”, but also the right to vote.

“I’m out here today, not with any party affiliation, but just a young member of society resident in Bartica, who was always looking forward to be old enough to give my vote. In May of 2015, I was 17, so I was not able to vote. Last week I turned 21, and being able to vote is what I was looking forward to. Now, if elections are to be held without any registration happening, it means I will have to wait another five years to vote. I am not here marching as a party member, but I am crying out as a youth, and speaking on behalf of other youths, that we need registration before any elections,” one youth in Byderabo, Bartica said.

The release sent out also stated that the creation of a “pure” NRRDB through the registration exercise is necessary to quell the concerns of political parties of whether the eventual election results will be fair and acceptable.

It stated: “It is the expectation of GECOM, therefore, that the primary outcome of the exercise will be the creation of a pure NRRDB, which would lead to the establishment of future Electoral Lists that would be commonly acceptable by and among all political parties and other stakeholders.”

With the Elections Commission agreeing, under the former administration, that it would conduct house-to-house registration every seven years and this period now overdue by four years, many are questioning the credibility of the list.
The life of the previous Voters’ List expired on April 30, 2019.