| – 43,000 ID cards still uncollectedThe Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is targeting an October 15 date for the holding of polls, says Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally.Updating media on its readiness for the national elections at the Hotel Tower yesterday, the official and several top members of GECOM, said that GECOM is prepared for General Elections this year.“The time is fast approaching when we will inform President Bharrat Jagdeo that we have reached the state of complete readiness,Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic, and that he may set the date for the elections – that being his constitutional responsibility.“According to our current plans, and barring the emergence of any unforeseeable impediment, we would be ready for the holding of the elections in mid-October.”GECOM’s Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally (2nd left) and other members of the CommissionGECOM also disclosed yesterday that as of Saturday, more than 43,000 national identification cards remained uncollected.At the end of 2010, following the 2008 House-to-House Registration, GECOM had over 70,China Jerseys,000 of these, despite pleadings for them to be collected.“The statistics reveal that as at June 11, 2011, we still have in our possession 29,570 ID cards produced from the 2008 House-to-House Registration exercise, 1,Cheap Jerseys From China,613 from the Claims and Objections Exercise for Local Government Elections, 9,946 from the second Cycle of Continuous Registration, and 2,058 cards prepared as a result of applications for corrections/changes and replacements. This represents a total of 43,187 ID cards still in our possession as at June 11, 2011,” Dr. Surujbally disclosed.Distribution of ID cards will continue until the end of this month at which time GECOM will close its temporary offices with persons then being required to visit the respective Permanent Registration Offices. There are 27 of these nationwide.In the far-flung communities,China Jerseys Cheap, in Regions One,Cheap Baseball Jerseys, Seven, Eight and Nine, GECOM will be conducting a special exercise to distribute ID cards in those areas through the use of Mobile Distribution Teams and scrutineers.Regarding the decommissioning of “old” red ID cards,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, GECOM said that the matter is being considered and will happen in the very near future.”Allow me to hasten to add that ID cards do have a shelf life. Some of the current “green” ID cards are in fact over 10 years old – during which time the features of the ID card holders would have changed.“It is patently indefensible not to agree that there should not be three different types of ID Cards in circulation at election time.”Dr Surujbally pointed out that GECOM has placed advertisements in the media warning of this imminent eventuality and emphasising that it is absolutely urgent for persons who have not collected their ID cards as yet to do so immediately.According to the Chairman, GECOM will not be extending the Claims and Objections period which came to an end over the last few days. No political party had asked for the Claims and Objections exercise to be extended.“We had assisted in the distribution of Birth Certificate application forms in the hinterland communities for persons to apply for the document. In many instances our staff paid the fees associated with application for Birth Certificates from their own pockets.” GECOM, from the recently concluded Claims and Objections exercise, said it has received 16,573 applications for new registration; 2,137 for transfers; 5,137 for name changes/corrections, with 866 objections lodged.“We are in the process of preparing the fingerprints of the applicants for registration to be sent overseas to be cross matched with those of the registrants currently listed in the NRR to check for multiple registrations. Any multiple found will be treated in keeping with the relevant procedure developed specifically for this purpose.”Over the next few months, leading up to the elections, GECOM will be concentrating on training and hiring of Polling Day staff, identification of Polling Stations; finalising its logistics plan for the elections; procurement of sensitive and non-sensitive elections materials; the production of a manual of instructions for elections day staffers and security matters.Meanwhile, the GECOM Chairman disclosed that he has written to Dr. Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, calling for the reassembling of the Media Monitoring Unit (MMU).“We believe that favourable consideration of this matter will certainly pave the way for the media to operate within the principles enshrined in the Media Code of Conduct to which all of the major stakeholders pledged,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, by signature, adherence.” |
