PNCR adamant plans afoot to “pad” voters’ list with with “ineligible” persons
The Government of Guyana’s move last year to simplify the issuance of birth certificates has now become an arrow in the quiver of the opposition party, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), which claims that the stage is being set for the “padding” of the voters’ list with ineligible persons.
Indeed, an amendment to the Registration of Births and Deaths Act was passed last August against objections from the main Parliamentary Opposition, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), of which the PNCR is a member.
The Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn was quoted in a Department of Public Information (DPI) article, published on August 3, 2022, defending the amendment to the act.
“Sometimes the process and systems work against people in the interior communities, particularly people who we have to acknowledge are the First Peoples of Guyana and who by any means necessary should obtain a birth certificate,” he said.
The new clause allows an adult with no original document containing particulars of his or her birth or record of birth, to be issued a certificate after being validated by a high standing person in their community which includes a Toshao.
The PNCR said that it warned the nation then of the “sinister” motive behind this provision.
“[L]ess than one year later, we see that the PPP/C has put into motion their plan to register persons who are without a true and legitimate basis for such registration. This is clearly an effort ultimately aimed at padding the voters’ list – since any person, once armed with a Guyana birth certificate and over 14 years of age, now becomes entitled to be entered on the National Register of Registrants–from which the Voters List is extracted,” the PNCR said.
Last week, it accused the administration of registering Venezuelan migrants, many of whom, have fled their country to seek betterment in Guyana.
The PNCR said that this amendment deviates from procedure, and cited the “much higher” requirement that exists in Trinidad and Tobago.
“In Trinidad and Tobago, for example, a person seeking a birth certificate is required to provide documentary proof, such as a letter from the hospital where they were born, an immunization card, names of siblings, or a record from the school they attended – all documents that a genuine applicant already has or can readily obtain.”
The PNCR hastened to add that any “PPP/C-aligned” Justice of Peace or Toshao can easily vouch for persons who are not eligible, paving the way for the enactment of the “convert” plan to register “tens of thousands” to support the governing party at an election.
This “danger”, it added, is compounded by the fact that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is engaged in office-based registration and not house-to-house registration, which means that any person in possession of a Guyana Birth Certificate, aged 14 years and above can present themselves at the relevant GECOM office and must be entered on the National Register of Registrants.