GECOM preparations on track despite Opposition filibuster, says Gunraj

Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) are yet to see eye to eye on a number of issues that should be ironed out ahead of the upcoming General and Regional Elections set for 1 September.

Commissioners Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman, representing the current opposition party, have highlighted issues related to the ability of party agents to vote on elections day, the voting rights of prisoners, stamping of ballots, as well as the registration of Commonwealth citizens residing in Guyana. The opposition commissioners staged a walkout at last Tuesday’s statutory meeting after their concerns were not addressed.

In a virtual press conference today, People’s Progressive Party-nominated commissioner Sase Gunraj highlighted that those pressing matters were addressed after a meeting with both sides of the representatives, despite describing the engagement as “highly spiced with filibuster”.

He said that, as it related to the matter of voting rights for prisoners, this issue requires specific legislation. He said that prisoners are governed by specific legislation and, as a consequence, “there is no such facility that is in place in the law to allow voting by prisoners.” In this regard, GECOM’s hands are tied.

On the issue of party agents being able to vote if they are working at a polling station where they are not registered to vote, Gunraj said he was advised that amendments to the Representation of the People Act specifically addressed this. He noted that “The attorney general has indicated that this issue was considered and resolved by the amended legislation to allow for alternate polling agents.” This means that another polling agent could man the station while the designated person is out voting where they are registered to vote.

Where there was a concern about the stamping of ballot papers, Gunraj said it was agreed that when ballots are unfolded and before separated, once one half of the document is stamped, the presiding officer is allowed to stamp the other half to make the ballot valid. The issue prior is that while the ballot must be stamped at the top for general elections and at the bottom for regional elections, the designated agents were failing to do so.

Gunraj highlighted further that domicility for Commonwealth citizens was raised. He said that since the current cycle of registration started in 2008 and prior, Commonwealth citizens living in Guyana for over a year and who are here legally were entitled to register in Guyana. “In relation to that a question was raised about domicility as opposed to residency, and in relation to that, while an issue has arisen, the decision in relation to that is that the status quo of registering the persons prior… will continue until such time there is another decision.”

Despite the discord, Gunraj said that, based on his discussion with the Chief Elections Officer of GECOM, preparation for the upcoming elections is well under way and everything is progressing as planned.