Seeking to answer criticisms about defective photographs on new National Identifica-tion (ID) cards, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday said “an appropriate quality control procedure” was installed to ensure results of the highest quality.
GECOM said it would be in a position to accurately determine how many persons were affected by the problem of defective photographs at the end of the current ID card distribution exercise but made a strong appeal to dissatisfied registrants to use systems that are in place for corrective action to be taken if needed.
Both the governing PPP and the main opposition PNCR yesterday confirmed receiving reports about the poor quality of the cards. PPP General Secretary Donald Ramotar told Stabroek News that he had received complaints about the poor quality of the photographs but he could not at the time say how extensive they were. Ramotar, however, exhibited his own ID card to this newspaper, showing a shadow covering half of his face.
Meanwhile, PNCR Chief Scrutineer Amna Ally said while the distribution of ID cards has gone relatively smoothly, reports of poor photographs have been received countrywide. According to her, some persons barely recognise themselves. Ally suggested that the GECOM staff responsible for the photographs might not have been adequately trained.
Spokesman Vishnu Persaud said in a letter released late yesterday (see page 7) that GECOM provided training, re-training and refresher training to the temporary personnel employed during the 2008 House-to-House Registration exercise. “Considering that those were not photographers by profession, and the fact that the overwhelming majority of the photographs taken during the exercise are of good quality, the Commission is not dissatisfied with the level of success achieved,” Persaud noted. He added that while glitches were expected, it was hoped that all ID cards would be of the best quality. “At this time we are heartened by the fact that hundreds of thousands of registrants have already uplifted their ID cards based on their satisfaction of the quality,” he further stated.
Persaud’s explanation was primarily in response to concerns raised in the letter columns of the national daily newspapers by Ronald Harsawack, who questioned whether there had been proper quality control protocols to ensure value for money. According to him, “numerous cards contain photographs that are unrecognisable which defeats the purpose of picture identification.” He said too that many images are “so obscured, it is impossible to decipher any distinguishable facial feature” and he cast doubt on GECOM staff responsible for the photographs, noting that they seemed to have had no idea of “lighting conditions, lens focus length, backlighting, artificial lighting,” among the other technical considerations.
Harsawack argued that GECOM should have ensured pre-determined standards and specifications for all photographs and that additional quality control checks should have been done at the stage of printing. “I assume these cards may be acceptable for the purpose of voting, but what happens when the ID card is used to transact other business that requires a picture ID?” he questioned.
Persaud, in response, noted that GECOM did install a quality control procedure, having recognised the need. He said the procedure operated throughout the three eight-hour shifts each day during the ID card production exercise. At the same time, he noted that the Commission anticipated that glitches, including poor photographs, would have been encountered, “especially since this system was being operated by humans, and in spite of the extensive training provided to them.”
Persaud said every ID card distribution centre was and continues to be equipped with a digital camera, with clear instructions for the staff to re-shoot registrants’ photographs which are found to be markedly dissimilar to the facial features of the respective registrants. Should a registrant be dissatisfied with the quality of the photograph because his/her facial features are not recognisable, he said a request can be made for the photograph to be re-shot on the spot. He, however, noted that staff in charge of the distribution centre will have a say on whether the request is justified or an attempt to abuse the system.
Alternatively, Persaud added, affected persons would be afforded the opportunity to correct all deficiencies of ID cards during the conduct of the imminent Claims and Objections exercises for the upcoming local government elections, to be carried out individually within the 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and six municipalities. “We urge such persons take advantage of this opportunity,” he said.
GECOM has extended the period for the distribution of ID cards, which will continue until December 31, 2009 at distribution centres countrywide. The exercise was expected to conclude on December 6, 2009. The distribution would continue at the 272 temporary distribution centres set up countrywide until the end of the year, at which point GECOM’s permanent Registration Offices would have responsibility for the exercise. There will be a break in the ID card distribution to facilitate the holding of local government polls and thereafter the process would resume. Cards are being distributed at centres from 15:00 hrs (3pm) to 19:00 hrs (7pm) from Monday to Friday, and 10:00 hrs (10am) to 16:00 hrs (4pm) on Saturdays and Sundays.
