Nascimento: Norton, Hughes attempts to discredit GECOM is to stir trouble after 2025 defeat
Public Communications Consultant and political figure Christopher “Kit” Nascimento has accused Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton and the Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes, of attempting to discredit the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in a deliberate effort to stir public trouble when they lose the upcoming General and Regional Elections.
Hughes and Norton have repeatedly insisted that GECOM is incapable of conducting a free and fair election. However, in his letter to the editor, Nascimento said that the duo’s attempt to discredit GECOM and its administration is in anticipation of “crying foul’ should they lose the elections, which is more than likely.
“It is also clear that nothing GECOM says or does will make any difference to Messrs Hughes and Norton,” Nascimento stated.
He added, “Both Hughes and Norton, but, with Hughes, the more belligerent of the two, are also insisting that GECOM scrap the voter’s list, that is, the National Register of Registrants (NRR), and hold house to house registration to produce a new list and, as well, introduce the application of biometrics for both the purpose of registration and casting the vote at the place of poll.”
The Opposition contends that the current list is “bloated,” meaning it contains more names than it should.
However, according to Nascimento, the voters’ list includes a significant number of registered voters who lived overseas or have died but remain on the list, explaining its size.
“So far, there is no practical means of moving these persons from the list,” he reminded.
He concluded, “What must we conclude from the determination of Hughes and Norton to question the integrity and capability of GECOM to conduct a free and fair election, if not to excuse themselves and their parties for planning to undermine and disrupt the entire electoral process, rather than their risking contesting and losing a free and fair election?”
