Claims and objections for local gov’t polls set to start on Monday

GECOM, in a statement, yesterday announced that the process would be used to produce a Register of Voters (RV), comprising electors who are 18 years or over by March 28, 2010, and are Guyanese by birth, descent, naturalisation, or citizens from Commonwealth countries living in Guyana for one year or more. GECOM will post copies of the Preliminary Lists of Voters (PLVs) at the GECOM offices/sub-offices within all of the Registration Districts (or Administrative Regions, except District 8), the recently established temporary C&O offices, the offices of the 71 local authorities-comprising six municipalities and 65 NDCs, and two other prominent locations within all of the constituencies and/or divisions/sub-divisions.

According to GECOM, the C&O exercise will conclude on February 8, 2010, while claims associated with entries on to the PLV, including name changes and transfers, will not be entertained after Monday, February 1, 2010.

Electors who would be eligible to vote at the local government elections are required to check the respective PLVs and:-

(i)      Make a claim to entry on the respective PLV, if they are not listed thereon. This entails completing the relevant application process, which will result in the issuance of a National Identification Card thereafter.

(ii)     Apply for a transfer, if there has been a change of residential address since he/she was registered during the 2008 House-to-House Registration exercise.

(iii)      Apply for a correction(s) if there is/are error(s) on his/her registration record/ID card.

(iv)     Apply for a change of name, if there was a name change(s) e.g. through marriage or Deed Poll, after the 2008 House-to-House Registration exercise.

(v)    Object to the inclusion of the name of any person who is suspected not to have met the eligibility requirements for such inclusion providing that the objector is registered in the same Division/Sub- Division as the person he/she is objecting to.  Accredited scrutineers of political parties could also object to the inclusion of the name of any person who is suspected not to have met the eligibility requirements for inclusion on the RV.

GECOM said too that as a significant component of the Civic and Voter Education Strategy, it will release information through the print and electronic media as well as through the use of fliers, posters/banners etc. on a continuous basis throughout the duration of the C&O exercise.  As a result, it advised electors who are/would be eligible to conduct transactions during the exercise to check the press for the relevant details.

Meanwhile, GECOM also emphasised that persons applying for new registration, transfers, corrections, and name changes must be in possession of an original Birth Certificate or a valid Guyana Passport; an original Marriage Certificate (and original birth certificate) – in the case of a name change by marriage (married women in possession of valid Guyana Passports with their husbands’ surname do not need to provide Marriage Certificates); original Deed Poll and original Birth Certificate – in the case of a name change by Deed Poll; or original Naturalisation Certificate issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and original Birth Certificate/valid passport – in the case of naturalisation.

GECOM issued an appeal to all persons who would be eligible for registration during the C&O exercise, but are not in possession of the relevant supporting document(s) to take immediate steps to acquire them in order to facilitate registration during the process. It noted that persons who fail to do so would not be registered and consequently will not be included in the National Register of Registrants, the RV for local government elections and would not be issued a National Identification Card.

Additionally, GECOM also reiterated that it has put administrative measures in place during the C&O exercise for registrants who may have been issued National ID cards with sub par photographs.

C&O transactions would be conducted at GECOM’s temporary offices responsible for the various areas.  The offices would be opened on Mondays to Fridays from 3:30 pm to 7:00 pm and from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.  The offices will not operate on national holidays.

Anyone needing further information can call GECOM’s hotlines: 225-0277, 226 -651, 226-1652, and 223-9650.