GECOM wasting hard-earned tax payers’ money

Dear Editor,
GECOM and the fallen APNU cabal have utilised every available media in an attempt to farcically justify their wasteful use of our taxpayers’ dollars. The dubious report of 20, 000 completed registrations is totally false and intended to camouflage the biased contemptuous behaviour against the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice and the constitutional pillars of our democracy.
The shenanigans are nothing but putting plans ‘X, Y and Z’ into place, in advancing other flagrant attempts to further delay mandated National and Regional Elections. The approach will result in the disenfranchisement of thousands of living citizens currently on the List of Electors and is designed to create much confusion towards the end of the process. By that time, many of our citizens who live here in Guyana or are otherwise overseas for whatever useful purpose will be scrambling with a crunched announced deadline for elections.
It is obvious that GECOM has proceeded to advance the lawless, vulgar process in the first instance without officially inviting scrutineers from the main opposition political parties. It is rational that the effort seeks to falsify positions of the list which existed prior to April 30, 2019. The approach is very slow and certainly cannot end by the three-month constitutionally mandated period. In addition, the process can be further abused as there are indications that many of the enumerators will be stretching the process for as long as possible to get as much tax-free money that they can accumulate.
On Saturday last, two officials from GECOM, along with a PNC scrutineer, attempted to complete registrations of citizens following the commencement of the illegal House-to-House Registration. Information received informs that for this group, a total of nine registrations transactions were completed in the fields that day. The officials went through a frustrating morning from their Registration Office and also struggled in the field to do the ‘House-to-House’ exercises. At the end of their first-day sojourn that day, they reported to their seniors at the office where they were verbally abused and instructed to return the next day and correct all nine of transactions.
On the following day, the GECOM officials returned to the first person who demanded that if he is to ‘re-do’ his transaction, it must be ascertained that the first documents that he signed have been cancelled. The official told him that the document was cancelled and the officer in charge at the office has the documents. The registrant insisted that he wanted to see the cancelled document which was requested by GECOM official who returned after three hours. To the registrant’s surprise, the document was not cancelled. After another approximately two hours, the transaction was said to be ok at that level.
Observations after the first two days reveal that the trainers and the persons trained for the ‘House-to-House Registration’ process need some measure of refresher training since they were trained since last year/ January. In some instances, it is believed that some are totally unfit for the tasks.
It is of interests that the GECOM officials are not visiting the houses in any sequential manner. It has been alleged that the PNC scrutineer is directing the GECOM Officials to selected homes. It is observed that the “RO -1 Form” that the declarant has to sign has space for the signature of two scrutineers. However, only one PNC scrutineer is signing and this is much cause for concern as the deliberate attempt to leave some persons off the list and force perceived supporters of the opposition to clamber for registration if this is process is allowed to continue.
It is of significant note that the employment of all GECOM staff under the relevant law is to be done only by the GECOM Commission/Commissioners. The Secretariat is not authorised to employ staff, but in their deliberate actions, the serious imbalance continues. It is a fact that approximately ninety per cent of the GECOM staff are all Afro-Guyanese and many of these officials are not visiting the houses in any sequence. The PNC scrutineer is directing the GECOM officials to selected homes. The “form” that the declarant has to sign has space for two scrutineers to sign; however, only one PNC scrutineer is signing.
The camera seems to be faulty while the ink-pad that they are using is certainly inferior and it will lead to serious smudging. The GECOM officials/ enumerators claimed that they were trained very long and they were called suddenly to do this ‘house-to-house’ thing. If after two days one set of GECOM officials can only do four transactions, then the end results will be confusion and more delays.
There are also reports of enumerators engaging persons on the road and other commuters to do registration, whereas it’s clearly defined that these registrations must be done through house visits. There are also claims of no photos been taken but promises to return and do same.
Further, many persons have reported that the enumerators seem to be going to houses in a very ad-hoc manner while skipping some houses all together. This process is certainly a waste of time and money.
It is indeed sad to hear from the mouth of the GECOM Chief Executive Officer Mr Keith Lowenfield that the list is not bloated and the list can be ready for elections within a short period of Claims and Objections.
This nation must ask the question: why is it Lowenfield and the GECOM secretariat are allowed to continue to do what they want without the Commission’s authorisation?
It must be noted that in the 29 permanent GECOM offices throughout the country, each has an Assistant Chief Scrutineer representing the PPP, yet they are not privy to any information coming out of the illegal House-to-House Registration. Collective information through reliable sources confirm that less that 2000 transactions were completed since the commencement.
GECOM is not above the laws of Guyana, the Chief Elections Officer must abide by the Constitution or face Contempt of Court. Elections must be held by September 18, 2019.

Sincerely,
Neil Kumar