Without appropriate legislative changes, the introduction of biometric identification at the place of poll will be unconstitutional

“GECOM should fast-track biometric measures,” this was the unconstitutional and loose demand by Mr. Vincent Alexander in framing his letter published in the March 17, 2024 edition of S/N. In the circumstances, being a member of GECOM, I consider it necessary to share with readers the truth in contrast to Mr. Alexander’s grossly misleading claim. First of all, since Mr. Alexander claimed in his opening gambit that persons voted for the dead at our (last) elections, I call upon him to provide the evidence to show where one (1) person voted for one (1) dead person at a recent election in Guyana. Moreover, since Mr. Alexander claimed that ‘… impersonation has occurred…’ he should present statements from his party’s polling agents who usually are at every single Polling Station on Election Day, purporting to show who impersonated who, where and when such an irregularity took place.

In cynical fashion, Mr. Alexander declared that three (3) responses to six (6) he highlighted as responses to a recent letter he wrote ‘are welcomed and represent some admission that my concerns are worthy of attention’. Yet in a backhanded manner he went on to say, ‘the responses do not represent a commitment to confront the issues’ and that ‘GECOM`s systems are obviously inadequate…’ Alexander’s claim that; ‘GECOM has pushed-back on the implementation of the biometric measures’ suggests that a decision was adopted at the Commission on the matter when that is certainly not the case. Suffice it to say, that thus far, owing to other pressing matters, the Commission has not gone ‘beyond the commitment made months ago to conduct feasibility studies.’

Moreover, Alexander’s ‘call upon GECOM and all of the concerned agencies to fast track the implementation of measures to ensure the travesty, of the dead being voted for, is stamped out’, and that, ‘This should be a precondition for the conduct of any future election’ appears to be laying the groundwork for two pieces of preconceived calculated mischief. First, to keep beating the drum that the election would not be free and fair and secondly, as a consequence, that the electoral results do not represent the will of the electorate. In the meantime, GECOM’s Chairman has made it abundantly clear, time and again, that without appropriate legislative changes, the introduction of biometric identification at the place of poll will be unconstitutional.

As far as his call to; ‘Nandlall to come clean in relation to the thousands of verifiable cases of alleged impersonation for which he has the documentation since August 2022.’ I leave that spurious and misplaced call in the capable hands of the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs. Mr. Alexander would serve his party better were he to engage in some deep retrospection and sobering introspection by having a second look at his claim; ‘There is implied complicity on the part of those who attempt to nullify these issues.’ The commissioner appears to be lost in a wood of three trees. He should desist from peddling this false narrative.