Dear Editor,
I am a Guyanese by birth; as a matter of fact I was born in British Guiana. The first ID card issued to me was in the sixties, and I have missed no other registration even though I was denied the right to vote in the last general election. The issue now is not voting. The issue is the registration.

Some GECOM workers came to my place and asked me if I was registered. When I told them no, they asked me for my birth certificate or passport. I brought out my passport, police clearance, and ID card, all of which have my picture, but after looking at the documents they said that the passport had expired and they could not use the ID card or the police clearance. They told me to go and renew my passport. Maybe they don’t understand, but when they mention the word ‘renew,’ that is money they are speaking about. The truth is I cannot renew my passport now because I do not have the money to do it and I am still not registered and the time is here.

Yours fathfully,
Elton Gittens

Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to GECOM for any comment(s) they may wish to make.