The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) took a decision at its Statutory Meeting of Tuesday, February 7, 2023 to request the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to investigate three cases of duplicate registrations which were committed during the ongoing Cycle of Continuous Registration.
This decision was taken consequent upon deliberations on a Report on internal investigations that were conducted in relation to the duplicate registration transactions.
These investigations revealed that three persons who were already registered, applied again for registration using different source documents with different dates of issue, names, and dates of birth.
In view of the case on point, it must be highlighted that the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08 as amended by Act No. 26 of 2022 stipulates legal provisions for registration offences and the associated penalties.
In this regard, it is of crucial importance to note that the registration laws have outlined penalties for registration offences, with provision for fines of up to five million dollars ($5,000,000) and imprisonment of five (5) years.
The Commission takes this opportunity to formally notify all concerned that henceforth, all cases of duplicate registrations will be reported to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for investigation, and consequent action in keeping with the relevant legal provisions.
In view of the foregoing, we have listed hereunder, registration offences that are included in the National Registration Act:
• Deliberately provide false information;
• Fraudulently obtain an identification card;
• Fraudulently use an identification card;
• Falsely allege the loss or destruction of their identification card and apply for a new card while in the possession of an identification card;
• Present false information or documents containing false information for registration, or withholding information about an existing registration;
• Knowingly applies to be registered more than once;
• Permit or induce another person to use an identification card in order to impersonate a registered person;
• Destroy or deface identification cards or documents;
• Make false objections or statements in relation to any entry on a list;
• Impersonate GECOM registration officials;
• Forge or counterfeit identification cards, and lend or otherwise furnish any identification card for impersonation;
• Sell or attempt to sell, or purchase or attempt to purchase an identification card.
The Commission is encouraging all applicants for registration, change of name(s) and corrections to existing registration particulars to ensure that they abide by the legal registration provisions, and to be aware of the registration offences and consequences.
