GECOM is on the move! The Claims and Objection process is the way to go!

Dear Editor,
It is enterprising that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has announced the commencement of a twenty-eight-day Claims and Objections period, which starts on Monday, August 23, 2022. Inherent in this process is a counterchecking mechanism all concerned stakeholders should use to further cleanse the list of any observed anomalies while providing the necessary evidence of proof. After this exercise, GECOM will be able to produce an Official List of Electors to hold the way-overdue Local Government Elections later this year.
This positive decision is instructive to the institution’s mandate, and would likely ignite a vigorous activation of some political parties. Political interest in this respect seeks to ensure control of the various Local Authority Areas (LAAs), thereby strengthening citizens’ confidence and recognition for ensuring the advancement of developmental and service delivery at the community levels. No doubt, the parties will be seeking to ensure their fortification of individual support bases using messages of conviction to ensure all qualified are registered and included.
Our registered citizens, as key stakeholders, are encouraged to check the list to ensure their inclusion, while some political parties will be readying themselves to command the maximum support in each LAA. Activities are therefore expected to be amplified towards ensuring all citizens pursue the Preliminary Voters List.
This Claims and Objections exercise entails the opportunity to conduct several critical activities in addition to the registration of persons who will be eighteen years old and over by October 31, 2022.
GECOM has already posted the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) at two prominent locations in every division/sub-division across Guyana. Specifically, persons included in the PLE with the relevant proof will be able to apply for the change of name(s) and correction(s) to registration data, if they have changed their names or if their listed information is not correct. These claims can be made at the registration office for his/her area of residence. Applications for transfers will also be processed if persons have changed their addresses since they were last registered. Significantly, it must be noted that persons who will be eighteen years old and over by October 31, 2022 can claim to be placed on the OLE if their names are not on the List.
Importantly, the update of persons’ particulars on the list as well as the removal of the names of deceased persons will have to be evidence-driven. Further, all Guyanese citizens by birth, descent, or naturalization, or a Commonwealth citizen satisfying the age criterion and living in Guyana for one year or more, could still be registered. In the case of transfers, changes of address are very important and critical, given the massive housing drive advanced by the PPP/C Government that has realised a dynamic movement of citizens to new areas.
These efforts would certainly aid access to nearby polling stations in the constituency where they currently reside, and allow citizens to contribute to the decisions impacting the development of their new communities.
Our citizens need to know that when making claims or objections, they must have the relevant source documents – original birth certificate or a valid passport in the case of registration. Original Naturalization Certificate issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and original birth certificate or a valid passport in the case of naturalisation. The original marriage certificate and original birth certificate should be presented in the case of a request for a name change by marriage. Further, it must be noted that citizens must also present to the officials at the GECOM Registration Office original Deed Poll and original birth certificate in the case of a name change by Deed Poll.
It is important for anyone making an objection to any name on the OLE to be accredited by the scrutineers or by an elector who is listed in the same Division List as the person he or she is objecting to. Citizens must also be aware that they can and must use this exercise to make sure that their ID cards are appropriate. The GECOM official would also conduct updates concerning corrections of the wrong spelling of one’s name, wrong date of birth, and defaced pictures. Further, lost ID cards could be replaced by the citizens who make an application for this using the statutory form from the GECOM Office, after it is signed by a Commissioner of Oaths.
This claims and objection exercise must be done thoroughly, and GECOM’s forward movement in this way will certainly realise the overdue Local Government Elections.

Sincerely,
Neil Kumar