The opposition PPP today accused GECOM of procrastinating as it is still to make a decision on the fate of the current house-to-house registration and a date for general elections.
A statement from the PPP follows:
Another week has passed, but still there is no clarity from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), in respect of a likely date for early elections. While GECOM procrastinates, the nation is becoming more frustrated and more impatient. Despite the clear pronouncements from the Chief Justice that elections were constitutionally due since 21st March 2019, and that the house-to-house registration can neither result in the creation of a new National Register of Registrants (NRR) database, nor can it be used to remove the names of persons already registered, the Government-nominated Commissioners continue to irrationally argue at Commission meetings that the data generated by this exercise must be used.
We have already pointed out that this data is deeply flawed, not only by the sheer speed by which it is being accumulated, but also it is not scrutinized by all the political parties, the wrong registration form is being used and the exercise is being boycotted by tens of thousands of Guyanese.
In fact, they are arguing for this data to be used to create a second database. This is clearly illegal. Duplicate registration is a criminal offence under the National Registration Act. Yet, GECOM is insisting that the house-to-house registration exercise continue, which results largely in duplicate registration.
We take this opportunity to reiterate our call to every Guyanese to boycott this exercise. We caution Enumerators to stop threatening Guyanese who are refusing to participate. We advise the Enumerators that to register a person who is already registered is to aid and abet the commission of a criminal offence, for which they are equally liable as the perpetrators and that we will report this matter to the Police with a request to institute criminal charges.
We remind GECOM that its actions and inactions continue to violate the Constitution, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Consequential Orders and the recent decision of the Chief Justice. We emphasize that GECOM is violating its constitutional duty to the people of this country and is continuing to squander hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars in an unwarranted house-to-house exercise.
We wish to, once again, make it clear that the PPP will not support any decision or actions of GECOM that will continue to violate our Constitution, disrespect the rulings from our Judiciary and perpetuate an illegal Government in office.
We again call on GECOM to proceed to hold a cycle of Claims and Objections and to ready the machinery for elections.
