Norton pushes against ‘realistic tide’ for biometrics

The main opposition party, the People’s National Congress (PNC), is not relenting in its call for the use of biometric technology in the upcoming elections.

Despite the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) maintaining its firm position that it is unable to implement biometrics before the national polls, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton remains optimistic.

He believes his party’s engagement with international bodies will bolster its call for these electoral changes.

Speaking on the PNC’s Nation Watch podcast over the weekend, Norton stated that the opposition has been engaging the European Union (EU), among other entities, to express their concerns. He noted that the EU is already in Guyana assessing the political landscape.

Norton emphasised that while the opposition has been in communication with the international community, his party welcomes the EU’s presence, as he had previously argued that international observers cannot gain a proper understanding of the political situation by arriving just a month or two before the elections.

He stressed that international bodies planning to observe the elections should have representatives in the country for an extended period to fully grasp the evolving political climate.

The EU and other major elections observers have embassies and representatives in Guyana, who engage with the government on a range of issues, including electoral matters.

Meanwhile, GECOM, the body responsible for overseeing elections, has repeatedly stated that implementing biometric technology is not feasible for the 2025 elections.

According to GECOM, introducing biometrics would require extensive public consultations, training of its staff on the new system, and legal considerations before implementation.

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has dismissed the opposition’s calls for biometrics as a political smokescreen.

Jagdeo argues that the issue is a “non-issue” being weaponised by the PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) to sow doubt in the electoral process and create disorder.

“Anyone who is unbiased would see that [biometrics] could disenfranchise people at the polling stations and lead to confusion around the elections, and that is what they want.

They want multiple fronts to claim on election day that there is rigging going on or something of that sort,” Jagdeo stated at a recent press briefing.

Guyana is expected to hold General and Regional Elections in November of this year.