This is one of those Fridays I wanted for my time-out brevity. Yet I’ve captioned “lofty” issues of “national significance.”
I am fairly well-known – more because of my television variety programme- so I’m approached often, for enlightenment – or clarification- on some basic issues. To me Frankly Speaking, those approaches, speak either to people’s apathy and general indifference and/or the deficiencies in the Public Education/Sensitisation Programmes mounted by the relevant agencies, the educational institutions even the political parties. (Sometimes I do feel that those who purport to “lead”, often have good reason for those youths and adults who approach me to remain under –informed, under–educated and in a state of mere “need-to-know” ignorance.) First, let’s peek at the issue of “the lists” from my usual simplified layman’s, man-in-the-street and –bar perspective.
Those Precious, Necessary “Lists”
PLE, OLE, NRR. Since elections entered into the air, compliments of the imminent no- confidence motion, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has catapulted the lists onto national consciousness, with mixed reactions and almost- expected controversial responses.
For you who actually vote, the PLE Preliminary List of Electors must be important for when the First Preliminary List of Dead and Current/Eligible voters is sanitized and made “near perfect”, it becomes the Official List of Electors (OLE), which our grand-parents still call the voters list. All voters’ names must be there to allow them to vote, so to elect.
Whether you vote or not, from age fourteen (14) in this Guyana, you should be registered in a comprehensive, official roll named the National Register of Registrants.
In most modern, civilized, organized societies, you can then access an official national identification card; vital certificates and passports are issued speedily upon request. Forty eight years after political independence, national self-reliance and “freedom”, citizens may honestly assess how “modern” we have become, in the latter regard. After several Elected Governments Since 1964!
Our Caricom cousins, Antigua, Jamaica, Barbados, et al, can call an election with valid, acceptable electoral rolls at short notice. We often access the islands’ assistance for our Elections Commission. Forty-eight years after independence. Our Commission assured us through that we’ve been lauded for “Best Practices” during and after elections; that many of our relevant IT brains have migrated and that our geographical features makes earlier Polling Day results still most challenging.
In the latter respect, after 48 years of modern- day freedom, could we not come up with a solution to the accessibility/geography problem weeks before polling day? I never attended University so I (In simplistic mode) always suggest that we- Government/GECOM – approach our neighbours and the Americans, British, Canadians, for the loan of about four helicopters to get out personnel and ballot boxes from difficult locations on polling day. Too silly? Our little planes can do it?
Laws- Like Peas!
Yes we are modern. So our society is governed by laws. Laws galore! For registration, birth, death, voting, everything! Our modern State, though, has some very impractical, outdated and obstructionist laws and regulations that impede.
I’ll be told that amending or drafting law requires expertise and experience, if they are to be made relevant.
The GECOM Chairman was at pains last week to explain why the names of the long-dead must be on our 2014 voters list. That has to do with the General Register Office (GRO) not confirming to the Commission that folks have indeed officially died and can’t vote. The law- or procedure- dictates that the GRO must tell GECOM that President Chung and Delma Lynch are now deceased.
I simply ask: 48 years after independence and considering “List problems” over recent elections, could no one have exposed that flaw or law? Why couldn’t GECOM “interfere” with GRO’s function over the years?
In the interest of a so-called “perfect list?’ you bet that the EAB or a sharp political party or GECOM’s Vincent Alexander can “expose” other electoral laws that qualify as technicalities to impede. For the time being I’ll accept GECOM’s word that their myriad procedures and the Party scrutineers (?) can ensure that no dead nor donkey votes next polling day.
Elections? Again!
As a non-voter, I say little about that event necessary, I’m told, for a democracy. I respect all voters willing to elect worthy, capable, unselfish representatives.
I do still care about the conduct of our elections and have the Good Doctor – Chairman’s assurance that his Commission – inclusive of the three PPP/C members – delivers world-standard polls. How gung-ho are you-all over the coming event? Will today’s youth be still influenced enough to make the next election another ethnic census?
Can any new group be worse than these dudes? Poor escapist, cowardly me! I’m done with elections partly because of the choices available. I therefore have to accept whoever/whatever you-all come up with!
The police, the community…
The people-owned, State-controlled, Government–friendly Chronicle newspapers carry many stories describing the initiatives of the good police outreaches to various communities. From Berbice to Demerara’s Eastern Bank, the Force is trying to woo youths, especially, with gifts and advice, to grow up walking the straight and narrow.
Incidentally, if you read the more comprehensive programme the Police have planned for the Albouystown youth, you have to be impressed with its scope and dimensions. Pity it started with dozens of young uniformed cops swarming the place aggressively. (Were those young police vulnerable to the seasoned bad guys?)
So the Chronicle tells of a recently-established Police Facebook Page; East Bank Demerara children being given school supplies; Police “adopting” four East Bank Dem. communities and “A” Division establishing a Stakeholders Committee to meet monthly to address an array of challenges. I applaud these initiatives by the Good Police.
I suggest the following: when funding allows, establish similar Committees in specific hinterland communities – let neighbourhood watches identify strangers and trouble-makers – in confidence; rotate staff in these areas – including senior men; target the 16 to 30 young men for counselling and special assistance in coastal villages and urban neighbourhoods; know who owns liquor restaurants and specific vehicles.
And my repeated favourite: Google or construct profiles of every community in your division! Your station map must indicate every yard, church, burial ground, alleyway, getaway paths, backdam, workshop, shop, factory and overgrown bush. You know why! Good luck, Good Police.
Just imagine…
*1) The amount of cocaine available to fill up the unfinished, submersible vessel has to be staggering! Where is that stash now?
*2) My sympathy with the Home Affairs Minister. He has no idea of the persons involved. Small people?
*3) When did the Minister of Our Resources realize that electricity costs thwart value added production?
*4) As the campaigns increase so too the half page dissertations and electoral appeals in the letter columns.
*5) Couldn’t APNU and AFC join forces before the Polls, then split afterwards? What? It’s all about parliamentary and governmental power?
*6) Respectful reminder to young reporters and older sub-editors: the noun is coalition and the verb is coalesce.
Til next week
(allanafenty@yahoo.com)
