KINGSTON, Jamaica, The Guyana Elections Fee (GECOM) acknowledged on Thursday {that a} beforehand resolved “discrepancy” within the voters’ Checklist had occurred resulting from breaches in registration procedures.
In a press release, the GECOM Secretariat mentioned that when notified, an inner investigation was launched.
It was quickly revealed that the incidence was resulting from non-compliance with established procedures on the degree of the involved registration workplaces, which concerned accepting functions for a alternative ID Card and alter of tackle by a random individual.
GECOM indicated that the “illegal” transaction has been cancelled.
“Having acknowledged by the use of inner queries that the registration information of a legit registrant/elector have been altered with out his involvement, the Chief Election Officer instructed that the illegal transactions be reversed,” the electoral administration physique mentioned.
Opposition-nominated Election Commissioner Vincent Alexander said in a letter that the problem centered on the Amanza Walton-led Ahead Guyana Motion’s discovery of an ID card issued by GECOM. Nevertheless, the holder shouldn’t be a bona fide registrant.
He mentioned that “clearly exposes the corruption of GECOM’s system and the menace to free, truthful and clear elections. That is however one situation of how fraudulent voting can happen.”
“Proof of fraudulent voting has been beforehand supplied, lined up, and ignored. Right here is however one other case of an unauthorized voter whom GECOM’s so-called sturdy system can not detect if the illegitimate holder of such a card turns as much as vote,” Alexander additionally mentioned.
GECOM attributed the invention to the system in place that permits stakeholders to examine the accuracy of the revised voter roll.
Calling the discovering of any “irregular registration transaction,” GECOM mentioned that “the regrettable existence” could be remedied inside 21 days for the show of the Revised Checklist of Electors.
GECOM additionally said that the alternative ID card ready continues to be within the Fee’s possession. “The Card can be destroyed.”
The electoral authority said that an in-person dialogue was held with the involved registration officers, because of which it was decided that there was a breach of ordinary working procedures by registration workers all through the system. The workers who interacted with the one who visited the workplace to make the functions couldn’t present logical explanations for his actions within the matter.
Consequently, GECOM said that police have been known as in to research whether or not the actions of the involved registration officers constituted a legal offense.
GECOM acknowledged that two misguided transactions have been carried out at considered one of its registration workplaces and, on the identical time, sought to guarantee all stakeholders, particularly the bona fide registrants who have been affected, that had the established registration procedures been adopted, the incorrectness wouldn’t have occurred.
Concerning the breach of procedures, the Fee states that it’s at the moment conducting an inner investigation to stop any recurrence.
In the meantime, GECOM reminded all involved that the Revised Voters’ Checklist stays on public show for scrutiny, and they need to assessment it to make sure their particulars are correct. The Checklist is at the moment displayed at two outstanding places in each registration division and subdivision, in addition to on GECOM’s web site, for public scrutiny till July 29, 2025.
Ought to there be the invention of any concern, a report have to be made forthwith to the respective registration workplace, the electoral authority mentioned.
GECOM states that it’s dedicated to a clear registration course of that adheres strictly to the authorized provisions and one during which representatives of the parliamentary political events scrutinize all registration transactions.
Towards this backdrop, the Fee reassures all stakeholders that sturdy mechanisms are in place to protect towards errors and stays dedicated to making sure that its operations are clear, credible, free, and truthful, upholding the tenets of integrity and democracy.
