Georgetown: Approximately 22,500 applications have been completed since the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) commenced its continuous registration exercise.
These transactions range from new registrations, replacement identification cards, changes and corrections and transfers.
GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward said so far, the response is quite exceptional for the four-week period, however she believes more persons should take advantage of the process, noting the flexibility in the hours.
“We have a constant flow, but I think that it can be better as just over the weekend, we may have wrapped up across the board over 20,000 transactions, but I think that we have a long way to go and so I want impress on persons the legal requirements for registration to become eligible to vote,”Ward said.
So far, the agency has been able to record a ‘fair number’ in new registrants between the ages 14 to 17 and 18 and older. In light of this, Ward underscored the importance of getting registered as it not only allows one to obtain an ID card to transact business, but become eligible to vote.
“I really want to urge parents here, as well the kids to ensure that they use this opportunity to have their registration transaction done. As you know, due to some challenges we had at the commission, we haven’t had the registration exercise for just about two years.”
Ward reminded Guyanese that the agency is not conducting any house-to-house registration process nor did the Commission authorise its employees to collect such information for this exercise.
“Our registration exercise is not a house-to-house process, it is required that you visit the offices to have your registration transaction,” she added. As it relates to those who might be immobile to visit these offices for replacement ID cards, be it the young or old, Ward said that there is a protocol in place which involves scrutineers to do so in the interest of transparency.
GECOM has 29 offices across the country. Each registration office operates from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. On the weekend, persons can visit the offices between 10:00 am to 2: 00 pm.
Some $4.1 billion has been approved for GECOM to conduct its 2022 work programme.
