Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh has proposed the hiring of a technical consultant to advise the Elections Commission on the introduction of digital fingerprint capture during voter registration, but said not before the General and Regional Elections are held.

Those elections are constitutionally due this year.

In articulating her position to the Commission on February 4, 2025, Justice Singh said the National Registration Act as amended by Act 14 of 2005, empowers the Commission to determine from time-to-time procedures for the acquisition and electronic processing of data.

Justice Singh said it is therefore obvious that there is nothing in the law that prevents the introduction of a system where fingerprints are taken digitally.

However, though not opposed to the technology, the Elections Commission Chairman said it would be important for the Commission to ensure that there is adequate legislation pertaining to the security of prints, and to be guided on the matter by a consultant.

“I make the observation that although technology exists for the introduction of digital fingerprint capture, this will be something new for us. Therefore, we must ensure that we cover all of the bases. For us to do this in a comprehensive manner, it would be necessary for us to hire a suitable Technical Consultant to advise us on the way forward,” Justice Singh said – a position which was publicized by Elections Commission Clement Rohee on his Facebook page.

She said the first step would have to be in defining the objectives and scope to create the Terms of Reference to advertise locally and overseas for Expressions of Interest (EoI), leading to the hiring of such a consultant.

“The Consultant would then be required, based on research and analysis, to prepare a project taking all variables into consideration including technological, legal, financial and operational frameworks. In my view, this is what should be our first step in the direction of introducing digital fingerprint capture during the registration process,” Justice Singh explained.

However, she made it clear that the introduction of digital fingerprint capture cannot be done simultaneously with preparations for the General and Regional Elections, and would therefore, have to be done once those elections are over. 

“Conceptualizing a project for digital fingerprint capture during voter registration should not be carried out simultaneously with preparations for the upcoming elections due to logistical challenges, technical considerations, political and social acceptance issues, together with the costs,” she said.

The Elections Commission Chairman explained that elections require extensive planning and coordination among various stakeholders, and introducing a new technology like digital fingerprint capture during those preparations, would only add another layer of complexity that could strain resources and personnel.

“The conduct of both projects simultaneously will introduce logistical complexities involved in managing two major initiatives at once,” she emphasized, while adding that separating the two projects will facilitate more thorough planning, stakeholder engagement, procurement, testing and, will ultimately lead to a more secure and trustworthy data capture and storage process.

Justice Singh said the Elections Commission’s responsibility is to prepare for and conduct the upcoming general and regional elections with the strictest conformity with the extant laws and international standards. It must not be distracted from its constitutional responsibility, she said.

She stressed that any focus on preparations for the introduction of biometric fingerprint capture must be shelved until after the upcoming elections.

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