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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 15:09:47
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This new technology will definitely put The Gambia ahead of many nations if implemented. However, the question I have for this Biometric voter system is; are they going to have a standby generator at every polling/counting station in case of power failure? Secondly, is there any guarantee that the data collected will be secured in a way that no other nation gets access to the biometric data of Gambians?
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Over D152Million Budget for IEC
By Alieu Darboe
 The Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission Alhaji Mustapha L. Carayol has said that the Commission’s budget for elections from 2010 to 2013 is over D152, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Two Million Dalasis).
He made this revelation yesterday at the presentation and demonstration of the Biometrics Voter Registration System by the two companies CODE and ZETES from Canada and Belgium. He told the gathering that with less than two years to the Presidential Election, the IEC deems it fitting to set in motion, and get the balls rolling in pursuance of the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections, come 2011 and beyond.
According to the IEC Boss, after the last cycle of elections from 2006 to 2008, all the stakeholders were consulted on the electoral process with a view to critically analyse it. He said after thorough reflection and consultations, the Commission decided to go for Biometric-Based Solutions for the registration of voters. “Seven Companies were invited by the Commission to make some presentations and demonstrations on Biometrics voter registration”.
Among the companies that did the presentations and demonstrations to the IEC was a locally-based company called Pristine Consulting. After the various presentations and demonstrations by the companies, the IEC requested technical and financial project proposals from each of the companies that did the presentation and the demonstration, in which they indicated how the registration would be conducted; the gadgets to employ; the costs involved; and the timeline. Mr. Carayol further stated that after meticulously going through the various project proposals by the said companies, the IEC short listed two of them (CODE Inc. and ZETES PASS).
These two companies have been further invited by the Commission to make further and more comprehensive presentations and demonstrations as to how Biometrics Registration of voters may be conducted in our electoral process. He argued that a complete and accurate Voters List is the starting point of a credible election capable of preventing voters from voting more than once, and unregistered voters from voting. The use of Biometrics for automatic de-duplications, verification and authentication at the point of registration represents the best solution in ensuring election with highest integrity, which is always a priority area for the conduct of elections in the Gambia.
On the reason behind biometric registration of voters, he said it has almost the same equipments with the current mode of registration, saying that it captures the fingerprints of applicants on the voting card and in the system for identification purposes. It provides the photo of the voter on both the voting card and on the voter’s roll. The issues of double/multiple registrations are easily detected and taken care of; and moreover, voters’ data are inputted in the system before a voting card is issued to any applicant which mitigates the problem of missing names in voters’ roll.
He finally noted that the IEC operates on its guiding principles of fair play, integrity, neutrality, independence, credibility, transparency, accountability and professionalism as the members of staff always adhere to the principles of honesty and high ethical standards…with a credible register of voters using biometric based-solutions, the Commission will be able to conduct better managed election than before.
The registration of voters using biometric-based solution will cost more than D61 Million dalasis, said the IEC boss.
Source: Daily News
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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So a generator would not be necessary 
