Georgetown Mayor, Pandit Ubraj Narine, in a statement (below), has called on civil society and all right thinking Guyanese to band together to ensure that no election is held on a bloated list dictated by the People’s Progressive Party Government and Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission, Justice Claudette Singh.
The Alliance For Change (AFC) in a recent statement has reminded Guyanese that during the 2020 Election there were multiple instances where dead people, the migrated and a host of other shenanigans interfered with the electoral process and Guyana should “not go there again!”
The party has announced it will not be participating in the local government elections because the Guyana Elections Commissions has failed to put mechanisms in place to ensure a credible list, credible election and credible results.
“The AFC has concluded that no election should be held on the existing list of electors because it is bloated, illegitimate and a source of electoral fraud, as demonstrated during the publicized national recount. On the face of it, the current list contains the names of the deceased, migrated and duplicates.”
The Mayor’s statement follows
On a new voters list…
I have noted that the Guyana Elections Commission has written to the Minister of Local Government indicating its readiness to hold Local Government Elections in the first quarter of 2023.
It is interesting to note that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (the in opposition) called for a new voters list in 2015 compiled on the basis of fresh house to house enumeration as part of a number of recommendations for reforms to enhance credibility in the list.
Following the 2020 National and Regional Elections the current opposition has highlighted a number of alarming anomalies which have again resurfaced called for a new list.
Recently appointed Commissioner Clement Rohee has indicated that the issue of needing a new list is determined whether a party wins an election or not.
This state of affairs cannot represent democratic norms. The people must be confident that their elected officials are reflected by a process free from influence that is fair and transparent.
We cannot be comfortable with this partisan approach to representation. Come what may the people of our country should rest assured that their elected officials are competently executing on behalf and in the interest of the citizenry.
Civil society and all right thinking Guyanese must band together to ensure that no election is held on a bloated list dictated by the Peoples Progressive Party Government and Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission.
There can be no harm in ensuring a levelled playing field is created for all actors in the electoral process. Let us be rid of this indecency.
