Political party agents cannot block anyone from voting – GECOM to PNCR Leader

Last Updated on Monday, 18 November 2024, 21:35 by Writer

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has reacted sharply to Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Aubrey Norton’s position that his party’s polling agents would block foreigners from voting in next year’s general elections.

“Elections are managed by the Guyana Elections Commission and political party agents will have no authority to determine who votes or not. Once, a person’s name is in the OLE (Official List of Electors), it means that all the necessary legal and administrative scrutiny were done and he/she is qualified to be so listed,” the Commission said in a statement.

Deeming Mr Norton’s remarks at a PNCR public meeting at Calcutta, Mahaicony, “mischievous”, GECOM said it was wary that those statements could potentially cause fear and harm to eligible voters exercising their constitutional right on Elections Day.

On Mr Norton’s point that PNCR polling agents would not allow foreigners, who could not speak proper English, to vote, GECOM said Section 72 (10) of the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 1:03 makes provision for this category of voters at the place of poll. Specifically, the law stipulates that, “whenever in the opinion of the presiding officer an elector does not understand the language spoken to him, he may appoint and swear, in Form 20, an interpreter; and the interpreter, so sworn, shall be the means of communication between the presiding officer and the elector with regard to all matters required to enable the elector to vote.”

The PNCR Leader said the incumbent People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) was becoming increasingly unpopular among its support base and so was taking steps for foreigners such as Venezuelans and Bangladeshis to vote in the 2025 general and regional elections. GECOM, however, clarified that any name to be listed on the voters list, must first be eligible for registration if the person is Guyanese by birth, descent, naturalisation or a citizen of a Commonwealth country living in Guyana for one year or more.

GECOM warned that an election official or security personnel can be prosecuted for committing election offences such as deliberately obstructing or interfering with the work of an Election Officer and intimidating eligible electors. GECOM urged political stakeholders to be responsible and cautious about their comments in the public domain as these can potentially have effects on the electoral process and severe consequences.