Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo is peeved over a proposal he claims was submitted by a government-aligned commissioner of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). The proposal has to do with the names of persons who did not uplift their National Identification Cards back in 2008 being removed from the Voters’ List.
Jagdeo told media operatives today that it was commissioner Vincent Alexander who submitted that proposal. Alexander, on the other hand, says he cannot remember making such a recommendation, and will not take responsibility for the submission.
“I cannot remember making that recommendation as Jagdeo proclaims and I do not take responsibility for it…The issue is not who proffered the idea. GECOM makes decisions as a collective. If a decision is made it is a GECOM decision,” he told the Guyana Standard earlier today.
Alexander said that he takes issues with alleged targeting of individual commissioners by politicians when GECOM is an autonomous body.
He further stated that there are provisions in the National Registration Act which provide for the removal of names and GECOM is empowered to make a determination on certain matters.
Jagdeo is claiming that the proposal, if successfully considered, will result in the disenfranchisement of about 20,000 voters.
He added that the basis for removal is nonsensical because an identification card is not the only document that can be used by voters on elections day. Jagdeo said that passports can be used and persons who do not have a proof of identification, can still take an oath and vote.
“So, Vincent Alexander bring this proposal again to take the 20,000 people off. So, who may not have collected their ID cards because maybe they migrated, are in the interior and never came out, or maybe lazy or just not interested, their names will be struck off now from the voters’ list…”
Jagdeo recalled that the current Chairperson of GECOM, in her former capacity as Chief Justice, had invalidated the results of the elections of 1997 regarding the usage of ID cards.
“There was an agreement by both parties to use the ID as the sole means for identification of voters when they go into the polling place…And her ruling was: you don’t need an ID card to go and vote. She ruled against it and invalidated the results of the elections,” Jagdeo said.
He reiterating that the removal of persons, who did not uplift their ID cards, from the Voters’ List is an attempt to create chaos on elections day.
