Scores of APNU+AFC coalition government supporters took to the streets in key areas around the country yesterday to press for a national house-to-house registration exercise to be held before the holding of the next general and regional elections.
Protests were held in Georgetown, Essequibo, Berbice, Mabaruma and other areas close to the various Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) offices.
In Georgetown, at the junction of Main and Lamaha streets, protestors marched in a circle with placards in their hands. Decked out in the green and gold colours of the coalition, supporters were heard chanting, “Credible Registration! Credible Elections!” There was also, “The youths must vote!” And, “House-to-house is a must!”
A police barricade was in place in front of the nearby GECOM headquarters.
Participating in the Georgetown protest were Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Karen Cummings, Minister of State Dawn Hastings-Williams and Members of Parliament (MPs) Michael Carrington and Audwin Rutherford as well as City Hall officials, including Mayor Ubraj Narine and Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore.
Hastings-Williams told Stabroek News that government has taken the position that “there must be credible house-to-house registration for credible elections.”
“The reason being is that we do not have a voters’ list and [the] present voters’ list has been expired since April. We all know that the list is corrupted and heavily bloated. We cannot go into elections using the present voters’ list,” she said.
Asked about the possibility of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) imposing an order for elections without house-to-house registration, Hastings-Williams responded, “The CCJ cannot rule. Guyana has its own independent institution. Guyana is an independent country with its own independent laws… GECOM is the only authoritative body that will inform the government whether they are ready or not for elections…”
The Minister of State further argued that youths must be given a chance to vote and a chance to make great decisions. She rejected claims that the government is on borrowed time and argued that they have been working in accordance with the Constitution.
Cummings, while speaking to reporters, said that no one should be disenfranchised of their democratic right to vote. She said that while the David Granger administration abides by the laws, “we must take care of our sovereignty.”
Carrington, of the AFC, told reporters that house-to-house registration is due. He said that since last year, house-to-house registration was scheduled to take place this year and after the no-confidence vote in December, he had estimated that there would be elections after the completion of the registration exercise.
He added that government might have to return to parliament and seek an extension of time if GECOM says it cannot hold elections within a three-month period. Carrington said that he does not think it is possible for elections to be held within three months. Many persons, he said, might be disenfranchised if elections are held in that timespan. In his opinion, elections should be held within four and six months.
A young protester, while speaking to reporters, said that it is GECOM’s responsibility to go through the registration process and ensure every person eligible to vote is on the voters’ list. The young woman emphasised that the list needs to be cleaned in order for fair elections and the only possible way she sees thing being done is through house-to-house registration.
“There are some persons who should not be on the list and their names being there, it can be used to rig an elections and we do not want that,” she added.
Apart from Georgetown, a stronghold of the coalition government which saw a large crowd of supporters, residents of Linden also filled the streets in that town, lending their voice to the call for house-to-house registration.
Crowds of supporters also congregated in the vicinity of GECOM’s regional offices in regions One, Two, Five, Six and Eight yesterday.
In Georgetown, there was sizeable support from the AFC’s youth arm, Youths for Change.
In New Amsterdam, supporters of the APNU+AFC protested in front of GECOM’s office in the town to call for house-to-house registration.
Anil Sugrim, APNU’s Field Operations Director in Region Six, said that he felt yesterday’s protest was a success and that their message was sent not only to GECOM officials but to residents of the region who were passing on the road.
Sugrim said that his party will continue to protest periodically for house-to-house registration to be done before any election is held. He pointed out that during the last two local government elections, he had discovered that the names of persons who were deceased had been on the list for a number of years. “Parents, children, brothers, relatives confirmed to me, well this person died,” he said.
He also pointed out that there are a number of youths who would have reached voting age who are yet to register.
Further, he said that a claims and objections period would not be workable because “based on the law, you need death certificates and proof of migration to take off names and those things take time.”
Sugrim confirmed that no protest was held in front of GECOM’s office in Corriverton and mostly persons from New Amsterdam were part of yesterday’s exercise. Also present at yesterday’s New Amsterdam protest were MPs Barbara Pilgrim and Donna Mathoo.
Meanwhile, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that several residents of West Berbice staged a peaceful protest outside GECOM’s regional office at Fort Wellington. “This exercise was in solidarity with a countrywide rally in support of the call for house-to-house registration of all eligible voters prior to the next general and regional elections,” DPI said.
According to the report, the demonstration at Fort Wellington lasted for one hour. Some of the placards held by the picketers read, “No House to House Registration; no elections,” “Credible registration for credible elections,” and “A clean voters list paves the way for stronger democracy,” among others.
Carol Smith Joseph, one of the organisers, said that she was pleased with the turnout of people in and around Fort Wellington. “The picketing exercise today was for one day but many people are prepared to come out as often as necessary to ensure that they are not cheated of their right to vote or that any attempt by the Opposition to use an outdated list to rig the elections are thwarted,” she was quoted as saying. (Additional reporting by Bebi Oosman)
