PPP/C presidential candidate Donald Ramotar says that his party has been vindicated in calling for a reopening of the Claims and Objections process, since it resulted in more than 7,000 persons being processed for registration.
“The period of claims that GECOM [the Guyana Elections Commission] reopened on the 25th July, came to an end on the 3rd August and it has vindicated the position of the PPP in joining with those who had earlier called for a reopening of this and it shows that our figures were more or less close to the mark,” he said.
According to him, as of yesterday, GECOM had registered and verified about 6,860 persons. He said, during a press briefing at Freedom House, that there were still about 250 more registrants to be verified. He also criticised the PNCR and the AFC for their objections to the reopening of this period.
The PPP/C, in making an argument to reopen Claims and Objections, highlighted the plight of persons who were unable to access source documents in time to be registered. It said the figure for persons affected was between 6,000 and 7,000 persons. The Claims and Objections process was subsequently restarted by GECOM, with the Claims aspect scheduled to run for 10 days.
Ramotar said that persons from all across Guyana were affected, not only those from the interior regions. He said that about 1,600 persons in Region Four got registered during the exercise. He added that many of them were from South Georgetown, which traditionally supported opposition parties.
“Our position was correct that they didn’t do it because they did not have the source documents at that point in time,” he said, while adding that many “got their source documents after the process was closed.” When questioned as to how many of those registered had obtained source documents after the closing of the Claims and Objections period, Ramotar said that he did not have this information but it could be provided.
Asked how much the reopening of exercise cost, Ramotar said that he was not aware but said that the bigger issue was that more people were being allowed to vote. “I am not sure.
I don’t have that figure, [but] whatever is the cost I think [it] is justified because you’re guaranteeing the rights of about 7,000 people to have an opportunity to make a decision of which party they would want to govern them [over] the next five years,” he said.
Ramotar said that following this process, GECOM will now move to the verification of fingerprints. Noting that there may still be persons out there who are not registered, he said that the PPP will not be asking for an extension of the Claims and Objections. “The bulk of the people are now on the list. We are not asking to reopen this again,” he said.
According to him, GECOM will now have to say when it will be ready to hold elections, and the President will then set a date.
Questioned about holding of elections in December, Ramotar said that this will only be done unless it is absolutely unavoidable. “So, while I don’t think it is desirable and I myself might not like it, if only it is absolutely necessary then I think it would be like that,” he said.
GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally, when announcing that the commissioners had agreed to reopened the Claims and Objections period, said that elections could possibly be held in mid-November.
