A house-to-house verification of the 2001 voters' list and a mechanism for cross-referencing fingerprints are still fundamentals for a proper list, the main opposition PNCR maintained on Thursday.

The party said any election plan that did not include such methodologies "would not provide for an electoral list of an acceptable standard and consequently would be an incomplete and an unacceptable plan."

As such, at its weekly press briefing the party urged the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to outline to the stakeholders just how soon these elements would be implemented in the registration process.

It was not good enough for GECOM to just say we are considering or we are discussing the use of these elements," the party said, adding, "the nation wants to know when these matters will be finalised and implemented." The party added that the argument of time being a determining factor was unacceptable and GECOM had to take responsibility for its intransigence over the last year. In fact, it noted that these were issues placed on the agenda since 2003 and "on which it would have had information or access to information since then."

The PNCR also accused GECOM of "continuing to misinform the nation" on the issue of continuous registration, which is supposed to begin on October 17. According to the party, GECOM will be commencing registration only for the purpose of next year's election. Accordingly, only persons who will be 18 by August 4 (the constitutional due date for elections) will be registered.

However, the amendment passed by the house to cater for the new continuous registration process also caters for the registration of persons 14 and over. The PNCR has therefore recommended that the commission avail all facilities that have been historically used for registration, given the purpose of the exercise.

"For GECOM to attempt to start registration with only 23 registration centres is tantamount to denying thousands of eligible citizens the right to be duly registered and the right to vote," the party said, while adding that it recognised GECOM's reluctance.

Nonetheless, it noted that the advocacy of the parliamentary opposition parties had seen movement on some essential issues and it would continue to struggle for an election of acceptable standard.