The Guyana Elections Commission this afternoon responded to statements made by Opposition and PNC Leader Aubrey Norton that at the next elections, he will ensure Polling agents from his party object to foreigners voting in the elections.
In a statement, the Elections Commission reminded 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. The Commission further explained that the law provides for a Guyanese citizen by birth, descent, naturalization/registration or a citizen of a Commonwealth Country living in Guyana one year or more to be eligible for registration.
As such, GECOM said once a person has satisfied those requirements and have provided authentic supporting documentation, they are registered in accordance with the legal provisions.
GECOM said it is the constitutional agency that is responsible for the conduct of elections in Guyana and is perturbed at Mr. Norton’s statements that it believes can potentially cause fear and harm to eligible voters exercising their constitutional right on Elections Day.
The Commission said elections are managed by the Guyana Elections Commission and political party agents will have no authority to determine who votes or not.
“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,” the Elections regulations body said.
GECOM said 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.
The Commission said it must be emphasized 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.
The Commission is urging political stakeholders to be responsible and cautious about their comments in the public domain as those comments can potentially have effects on the electoral process.
GECOM said even if a person speaks a foreign language, mechanisms are also in place for that person to cast their ballot once they meet the eligibility criteria.
The Opposition has been complaining about the size of the voters’ list, which currently has more than 600,000 people in a country with a population just over 700,000.
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