Norton demands GECOM hire experts to determine feasibility of digital biometrics before elections

Last Updated on Friday, 24 January 2025, 19:56 by Writer

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton on Friday demanded that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) hire experts to say how long the introduction of an electronic fingerprint registration and voter verification system could take, even as he dismissed GECOM Chairman Claudette Singh’s decision that there was insufficient time to do so for the 2025 general and regional elections.

“We hereby call on GECOM to seek proposals from expert firms on using fingerprint biometrics in Guyana for registration and voting,” he said in a statement.

Mr Norton said advertising in the local and international media, submission of proposals, and evaluation should take no more than four to five weeks.

Mr Norton said that would be the “only acceptable basis” that GECOM and stakeholders could have a shared understanding of the timeframe and other issues involved and to make knowledgeable decisions because Retired Justice Singh has no experience in biometrics technology and project management.

In her January 16, 2024 decision, the GECOM Chairman said “with less than a year to go before these Elections, and given the number of tasks that would need to be done before such a system can properly be introduced, and all of the work already required to prepare for General and Regional Elections, I am convinced that this is not feasible within the time presently available.” She said the tasks that must be completed are consultations with stakeholders like the Government and Parliament to determine whether it is even possible to do so now, considering things like costs and any legislative amendments necessary to cater fully for it; procurement of equipment for the introduction of biometrics in the registration process and at the place of poll; training of staff on the use of such equipment; public education on the introduction of these systems, and how they are to be used to aid in registration and in voting.

The Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform and its umbrella A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) said the integrity and credibility of the next elections could not depend on the GECOM Chairman’s uninformed and inexperienced reflections, personal or subjective feelings, political biases or fears and lack of motivation. “She has no experience in biometrics technology and project management. Did she, for example, consider that certain processes, such as training of staff and public education, can run in parallel, thus saving time?

Mr Norton said APNU would continue to protest to force GECOM to urgently seek initial technical proposals on the use of electronic biometrics from reputable international firms. Only such proposals, he said, could objectively and reliably inform the opposition of the timeframes and any challenges involved. “GECOM must move quickly on this front,” he said.

The GECOM Chairman said the relevant law allows for the digital capture of fingerprints, but the legislation would have to be amended to allow for the use of digital fingerprint verification of voters at polling stations. Ms Singh also said digital fingerprint verification could not be used exclusively as that would be unconstitutional.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who is also the General Secretary of the governing People’s Progressive Party, on Thursday said the only way his administration would amend the legislation is if GECOM said that would be needed to ensure transparency of the elections.

Despite opposition fears that the number of names on the voters list is almost the same as Guyana’s population—a situation that opens the possibility to voter impersonation and multiple voting—Mr Jagdeo maintains that the existing systems are “robust” to prevent electoral fraud.

The small opposition Alliance For Change (AFC) and the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) say the observer missions and western nations should be lobbied to pressure government and GECOM into agreeing to digital biometrics and other confidence building measures.