Dear Editor,

Reference is hereby made to a letter published in the Sunday Stabroek (20.7.08) under the caption ‘The 2006 list was bloated,’ and author-ed by Mr Desmond Trotman. Please be advised that everyone knew that the Official List of Electors used in the 2006 elections contained names of persons who would not have been available for voting.

I recall, however, that GECOM personnel went out of their way to perpetually emphasise that a host of mechanisms were in place to prevent multiple voting. That was what is important. I don’t know where Mr Trotman got the figure of 100,000 from.

I also remember several cognoscenti emphasizing that although lists are important, many countries have carried out free and fair elections, once they could ensure the one-man, one-vote principle.

Finally, I agree that GECOM should get kudos for efficiently carrying out the house-to-house registration which in fact shows that many people are no longer in Guyana. GECOM together with party scrutineers visited all the homesteads across the country. If there were a significant amount of homes left out, or if many legitimate candidates for registration were left out, the party scrutineers would have shouted blue thunder.

Of course, no party wants to admit that there has been massive migration (people voting with their absconding feet) under its respective watch while governing “paradise.”

Yours faithfully,
(Name and address
provided)