…warns party agents can be charged for obstructing, intimidating voters
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has had cause to take Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton to task for recent ‘mischievous’ statements that the opposition would be on the lookout to block foreigners from voting, statements that, according to GECOM, are not only wholly misconstrued but can cause fear and harm among eligible voters.
Norton was recently quoted in sections of the media, claiming during a public meeting in Calcutta, Mahaicony, that “opposition polling agents would be on the lookout for foreigners who are clearly not connected to Guyana” and that the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) would block them from voting.
In a statement on Monday, GECOM expressed concern at Norton’s utterances, particularly since the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08, provides for any Guyanese citizen by birth, descent, naturalization/registration or a citizen of a Commonwealth Country living in Guyana for one year or more, to be eligible for registration to vote.
“It is therefore absolutely necessary for GECOM to clarify that in order for any name to be listed on the Official List of Electors (OLE), persons must satisfy the eligibility criteria for registration as stipulated in the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08. As such once a person has satisfied those requirements and have provided authentic supporting documentation, they are registered in accordance with the legal provisions.”
“Moreover, it is important to note that scrutineers from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) are permanently present at all GECOM’s Registration Offices countrywide and are actively involved in the registration process, including the signing off on the accuracy of applications for registration transactions,” GECOM also noted in their statement.
GECOM pointed out that the law even provides for foreigners who, “in the opinion of the presiding officer” does not understand the language when questioned, to appoint an interpreter on their behalf.
The election agency further noted that elections are managed by it, not by political party agents who have no authority to decide who votes or who doesn’t. The agency made it clear that Norton’s “mischievous” comments have the potential to cause fear and harm to eligible voters looking to vote, as per their constitutional right and warned that any political party agents obstructing voters can face the full extent of the law.
“Once, a person’s name is in the OLE, it means that all the necessary legal and administrative scrutiny were done and he/she is qualified to be so listed. In view of the foregoing, it must be emphasised that an election official or security personnel can be prosecuted for committing election offences such as deliberately obstructing or interfering with the work of an Election Officer and intimidating eligible electors.”
“Consequently, the Guyana Elections Commission is urging political stakeholders to be responsible and cautious about their comments in the public domain as these can potentially have effects on the electoral process and severe consequences,” GECOM stated.
The PNC/R has been calling for the names of Guyanese living overseas be removed from voters list, even though the law is very clear that residency is not a requirement to vote. According to the Guyana Constitution, a person’s name can only be removed from the voters’ list through death, or if they become disqualified under Article 159 (2), (3) and (4).
This law was tested in 2020, when the Court of Appeal upheld the August 14, 2019 High Court ruling by acting Chief Justice Roxane George which blocked the removal of persons from the National Register of Registrants (NRR) Database – something that the House-to-House (H2H) Registration exercise at the time sought to do by creating a new database that would have excluded non-residents.
With elections expected next year, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the parties in the APNU: People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) have all concluded their congress to set the pace for the elections.
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