Dear Editor,
I write to express my concern over the potentially incendiary rhetoric about a ‘bloated list,’ the listing of deceased persons; voter impersonation and the unconstitutional and reckless call for the introduction of restrictive measures such as biometrics at polling stations raised time and again by Messrs Norton, Alexander, Lowe and Hughes.
These newfangled demands by APNU+AFC spokespersons are nothing but a smokescreen to obfuscate and to sway the minds of people in an effort to make them forget about the despicable and outrageous behaviour displayed by APNU+AFC operatives at the Ashmins building on March 5, 2020 as well as the abuse of the Court and the ensuing legal battles at taxpayers’ expense beginning with the High Court, the Appeal Court, ending up with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) between March-August 2020.
The feigned struggle engineered by the APNU+ AFC for the introduction of biometrics would be in violation of the constitution and would in effect, impose an additional restriction on each bona fide voter entitled to exercise their constitutional right on Election Day. Cumulatively and unmistakably, such a restrictive voting rule would slow down voting at polling places and even dissuade voters from showing up to cast their ballots.
As regards the demand for a ‘sanitized voters’ list’, GECOM in a recent press release emphasized that; ‘… it is imperative that we reiterate GECOM’s operations continue to be guided by the applicable Constitutional and legal provisions. In this regard, it is obligatory for us to repeat that the eligibility requirement for registration is that one must be a Guyanese citizen by birth, descent, or naturalization; or a citizen of a Commonwealth country living in Guyana for one year or more. Providing persons met those requirements and have been registered, their registration in the National Register of Registrants (NRR) is and remains legitimate. Accordingly, any removal of their names from the NRR, without legal basis, would be unlawful and unconstitutional.
GECOM’s press release went on to state;
‘Existing legislation provides that the removal of names from the NRR can be done only through the established methodology comprising (i) the receipt of monthly death reports from the General Register Office (GRO) and (ii) through the Objections aspect of any Claims and Objections exercise, which allows for any elector, or suitably accredited Scrutineers of Political Parties, to object to the inclusion of the names in the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) who may not be eligible for inclusion.’
The latest straw the APNU+AFC sought to clutch to is the question of overseas voting, in that regard, they posed the silliest question ever suggesting that the PPP/C is considering reintroducing overseas voting.
The electoral reform Bills laid recently in the National Assembly, will go a far way to strengthen the electoral system; help the public reject irresponsible claims of stolen or rigged future elections and to put a stop to dangerous election crimes.
So for APNU+AFC to be harping on the false narrative about reintroduction of overseas voting it is but a meaningless ‘cry for wolf! wolf! Suffice it to say that that cry is more like the woof! woof! of a toothless poodle.
Yours faithfully,
Clement J. Rohee