Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo Thursday cast aside concerns from the main parliamentary opposition that Venezuelans are being registered by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to vote in future elections.
According to Jagdeo, registration figures so far are not unusual and are similar to the population figures usually recorded in various regions.
Between January to now, he said about 13,600 people were registered. The bulk of the people registered are from Regions Three and Four.
So, Jagdeo believes it is untrue that large numbers of Venezuelans, who fled their country in search of betterment in Guyana, are being registered.
“We don’t see any evidence of this here in the actual registration that is taking place in the country. It’s false,” Jagdeo said while speaking at a party press conference from the PPP/C Robb Street, Georgetown headquarters – Freedom House.
He added, “…as you see, the numbers aren’t unusual based on previous registration and population in the region.”
These concerns were raised at a press conference hosted by the Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton earlier this week. But Jagdeo thinks these claims are only being made because the opposition is fearful of a defeat at the upcoming General and Regional Elections, carded for 2025.
“… the new boogeyman is the group of people who are here now, the Venezuelans. Somehow they are being registered across the country in large numbers by the People’s Progressive Party and they will determine the outcome of the next elections,” he said.
GECOM is conducting continuous registration in keeping with amendments to the National Registration Act. After the current registration period, there will be a ‘Claims and Objections’ period for people to formally register their concerns about any person(s) registered.
Jagdeo reminded the public that any concerns the opposition or anyone has can be raised during that period.
