The Guyana Elections Commission is going ahead with the publishing of the names of over 25,000 persons who have not collected their national ID Cards since 2008.

The names will be published in local newspapers this weekend and those persons will have 21 days to show up and collect their ID cards or run the risk of being removed from the voters’ list.

The decision was reinforced today during the statutory meeting of the Guyana Elections Commission.

Opposition nominated Commissioner, Sase Gunraj said he still has concerns about the publishing of the names and the removal of the persons who did not collect their ID cards.

“Much to the disagreement of myself and colleagues, the Chairman is insisting on publishing the names of the persons who have not collected their identification cards. And what has now been made very clear is that persons who might have registered as late as last year or in the last claims and objections period before this current one, and did not collect their id card, they also stand at risk of being removed from the list for non-collection of those id cards”, Mr. Gunraj said.

Meanwhile, Government nominated Commissioner Vincent Alexander said the Chairman reinforced her decision today on the issue and the names will be published this weekend.

The opposition People’s Progressive Party has raised concern about the move by the Chairman, declaring it as illegal and claiming that it could disenfranchise persons.

However, the parties in the coalition government have said they support the move, since it will weed the list of phantom voters.

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