Dear Editor,
Dr. Luncheon’s statement is a welcome assurance to our citizens that they can vote using their old ID cards. However, further issues need to be addressed with respect to registration.
There are many instances where an individual may have just one name, with no surname as the father’s name is not stated in their Certificate of Birth. In such cases, individuals may use one name or adopt the surname of the mother. Most of these persons already have ID cards or Passports with one name. Scrutineers are demanding that these individuals go to a lawyer to get their names rectified otherwise they can’t vote. I understand that a Deed Poll is now required for these cases.
The other cases concern married women, especially the elderly. In many cases, Marriage Certificates state only the first names of the husbands. Married ladies in past registration processes and when applying for passports were able to use their husbands’ surnames as long as they had their husbands’ birth certificates. Scrutineers now will not adopt the same process as in the past. Instead, they are requesting that these women get a Deed Poll if they want to be registered with the husband’s surname, causing enormous expense for these women to pay to prepare a Deed Poll and to travel lengthy distances to the High Court to get their Deed registered. Some of these women are pensioners and widows.
Another complication has propped up with respect to this situation. Although women are now in possession of a Deed Poll, scrutineers are asking for an Affidavit of Identity to confirm the names. Previously, they were told, they cannot use an Affidavit of Identity.
If the intent of the registration exercise is to ensure that democracy continues to prevail, then I believe the process should ensure that all “living” eligible voters are on the voting list and only those who never had ID cards should be issued with one as suggested by Dr. Luncheon. I have lived in Canada for over 25 years and was issued one ID card. In Guyana where the cost of living is so high citizens have 3 or 4 ID cards. If action is not taken to address these concerns, the outcome of the election could be disastrous because people are frustrated with the registration process and are declaring that they would not vote.
Yours faithfully,
Sachie Ramnauth (Justice of Peace)
Corriverton
Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to the Guyana Elections Commission for any comments they may wish to make.
