GUYANA | Biometric Voting: Not Rocket Science, Just Common Sense

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, February 27, 2025 - The time for excuses has expired. After five years of preparation, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has run out of reasons to delay implementing biometric voting for our 2025 General and Regional Elections.

Let me be crystal clear: this is not rocket science. The technology exists, the data exists, and the only thing missing is the political will to secure our democratic process.

Biometric voting is neither complex nor revolutionary. It simply employs fingerprints, facial recognition, or iris scans to authenticate voters during elections.

The beauty is that we're not starting from scratch – GECOM already collects fingerprints from both hands when citizens apply for identification cards. This existing biometric treasure trove merely needs to be incorporated into our voting system to create a secure, cross-checked voter database.

The pressing need for such a system becomes apparent when examining our voter registration numbers. How has our registered voter list ballooned from 660,000 in 2020 to 735,000 in January 2025, while our population hovers between 750,000 and 780,000?

Even more alarming, we've uncovered 119 individuals registered under a single address – a practice that may be just the tip of the fraudulent iceberg.

These numbers don't just raise eyebrows; they sound alarms about the integrity of our electoral process. Each questionable registration chips away at the foundation of our democracy – a foundation the Trade Union Movement has been building since 1926 when the Father of Trade Unionism in the British Empire, Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, began the struggle for one-man-one-vote, same man, same vote.

The solution is straightforward: on election day, voters would scan their fingerprints, which would be instantly cross-checked against GECOM's database. If the data matches, they vote.

If not, additional verification would be required or, in rare cases, access denied. This simple technological safeguard could eliminate the voter fraud that has plagued our nation for too long.

I anticipate the typical bureaucratic objections – cost, logistics, portability. But these are merely smokescreens for inaction. The system already exists; what's needed now is for GECOM to move forward by acquiring fingerprint verification machines and making necessary legislative amendments. The technology is available, affordable, and accessible. There's no excuse for further delay.

The GTUC's commitment to preserving democratic integrity is unwavering. We recognize that just as voters must meet age and district requirements, biometric verification is crucial to securing our electoral process.

This isn't merely about preventing fraud; it's about preserving the very essence of democracy – ensuring that each citizen has exactly one vote, no more and no less.

The continued compromise of our electoral process threatens the strength and stability of Guyana's young democracy. If we want free, fair, and credible elections, the time to act is now. The GTUC will not sit silent while this fundamental right – fought for by our forebears and essential to our future – is further eroded.

GECOM must implement comprehensive safeguards to ensure the system remains effective from voter authentication through to the counting and declaration of results. This is not just about a fair vote; this is about the future of Guyana's democracy.

The technology is ready. The data is available. The only question remaining is whether GECOM is ready to lead the charge in securing that future.

The path forward is clear. Biometric voting for 2025 is not just feasible – it's essential. The integrity of our democracy depends on it.

Lincoln Lewis is  General Secretary, Guyana Trades Union Congress

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