Many persons continue to complain about the photographs on their new national identification (ID) cards and some are questioning whether the entire exercise was waste of money.
“I think it was a colossal waste of money,” one registrant said on Sunday, on seeing her photograph, which she described as adding an “extra face to my face.”
Registrants continued to trickle into the various Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) distribution centres in Georgetown to uplift their ID cards on Sunday and yesterday and while a few were satisfied, many questioned the quality of their photographs and expressed dissatisfaction. While some said they would have to get their photographs retaken others felt it was a complete waste of time to go through the process again.
Recently, GECOM spokesman Vishnu Persaud said that every ID card distribution centre is equipped with a digital camera, with clear instructions for the staff to re-shoot registrants’ photographs if they are found to be markedly dissimilar to the facial features of the respective registrants. However, this is not the case at some centres.
Persaud also said that 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. “We urge such persons take advantage of this opportunity,” he said.
Some persons said those manning the centres they visited stared blankly at them when they expressed dissatisfaction with their photographs. The staff did not indicate that the photograph could have been retaken on the spot, they said. Others were informed that they could return to have their photographs retaken during the claims and objection period. “I was never told I could have my photograph retaken right away,” one woman told Stabroek News on Sunday, while indicating she had no intention of using the ID cards for any reason. She said that while the new ID card is of a better quality she could not understand how the person who took the photograph could have gotten it so wrong. “The guy who took my photograph took it three times and the last one he showed me was good. I assume that they printed the wrong photograph, or he deleted it by mistake,” the woman said.
‘A black spot’
One woman returned to her area’s distribution centre on Sunday to have her photograph re-taken but she said staff collected her address and telephone number and sent her on her way without a return date. The woman collected the ID card about two weeks ago and was told by the GECOM officials that it was okay. She immediately told them it was “unacceptable. I could not recognise myself. All I saw was a black spot. It was not me and I told them I could not use the card to transact any business,” the woman said.
She added that what made it worse was the fact that her photograph was taken on more than one day. “They came and it was not taken properly, so they returned two days later and retook it. And when they showed it to me it was okay, so I was surprised that it came out that way,” she said. The photograph taken of her on Sunday was okay too but considering what transpired before she said she is “just keeping my fingers crossed that it comes out okay.”
A young man told Stabroek News, “The ID card is good but the picture bad.” But when asked if he was going to have it retaken, he said he would not, as the process would be “a waste of time.”
Another registrant said her photograph made her look like a domestic violence victim as her eyes appeared to be black and blue and her face swollen. She said she “behaved bad” and was told to return to have her photograph taken.
Meanwhile, another man told Stabroek News yesterday that his photograph made him “look like a criminal and made me look fat.” However, he was not told he could have had his photograph retaken and he now has no intention of returning to the centre. Instead, he would limit the use of the ID card.
One woman said all she could see on the photograph were two eyes as the rest was just a black spot. “How am I supposed to be recognised by this?” she questioned.
And one man complained about what he called a “tedious process” yesterday as he could not understand why you have to give the same information to several persons all of whom are sitting in earshot of each other. “They could take the information when you are giving it to the first person but instead you are asked to repeat your name and address over and over,” he said. The man also complained about the quality of his photograph but while he was given the option to have it retaken he refused as he was not told when he would be able to uplift the new card.
There have been a number of letters to the press complaining about the quality of the photographs.
Some persons were satisfied with their ID cards and complimented GECOM for upgrading the card and making it look “more international and of good quality.” One man said he is now proud to show his ID card. He explained that he never liked how the old ID card looked. Another registrant said she was not entirely happy with the new ID card but opted not to complain.
Meanwhile, there are some complaints about the one centre set up in the village in Aishalton, Region Nine, to serve a number of neighbouring communities. “You have people living miles and miles away and you have old people who cannot go to collect their cards and so many people are just not picking up the cards,” a source told Stabroek News yesterday. The source questioned what would become of the ID cards that are not uplifted.
Recently, AFC MP, David Patterson, had commented that the poor quality photographs on the new ID cards have been a major issue during the continuing distribution exercise and added that his party is “disappointed” that GECOM did not put a system in place that ensure the best results. He had explained that complaints about the quality of the cards have been a recurring issue.
And both the PPP and the main opposition PNCR have confirmed receiving reports about the poor quality of the cards.
GECOM said “an appropriate quality control procedure” was installed to ensure cards 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. However, it has made a strong appeal to dissatisfied registrants to use systems that are in place for corrective action to be taken if needed.
The election body has extended the period for the distribution of ID cards to December 31 at centres countrywide. The exercise was expected to conclude on December 6, but will 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 (3 pm) to 19:00 hrs (7 pm) from Monday to Friday, and 10:00 hrs (10 am) to 16:00 hrs (4 pm) on Saturdays and Sundays.
