Gambia Electoral Commission’s biometric registration to cost over D61m
By Ismaila M.S. Naban
BANJUL, Gambia- The Chairman of The Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission, Alhaji Mustapha L. Carayol, has revealed that, after thorough reflection and consultations, the “commission decided to go for biometric-based solutions for the registration of voters”.The registration of voters using biometric-based solutions would cost the Gambia’s Electoral Commission more than D61,000,000.00 (Sixty One Million Dalasis).
Meanwhile, the Commission’s budget for 2010 to 2013 is over D152,000,000.00 (one Hundred and Fifty two Million dalasis).
He also informed the nation that after the last cycle from 2006 to 2008, all the stakeholders were consulted on the electoral process with a view to critically analyse it.
The Presidential election in this West African nation is due in 2011, and the Commission’s boss said they deemed it fitting to therefore set in motion and get the ball rolling in pursuance of the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections, come 2011 and beyond.
The Electoral boss admitted that by “going through the electoral history of The Gambia, there have been a myriad of problems encountered by the Commission, using the traditional method of voter registration.

But in it bid advance the system, the Independent Electoral Commission is poised to go biometric.

The Commission on Tuesday January 12, 2010 organised a session in which the two short-listed foreign Companies, namely Code Incorporated and Zetes Pass, were invited to make further and more comprehensive presentations and demonstrations in the presence of the public, on how biometrics registration of voters might be conducted in the country’s electoral process.

The occasion, held at the prestigious Kairaba Beach Hotel some few kilometers from the Gambian capital, Banjul, was attended by Senior Government officials, National Assembly Members, Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps in the Gambia, Heads of Political parties, Service Chiefs, Local Government Authorities, and the Media fraternity, amongst other attendees.

He recalled that seven companies were invited by his Commission to make presentations and demonstrations on biometrics voter registration.

But among them was a locally based company called Pristine Consulting in The Gambia.

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 proposals they indicated how the registration would be conducted, the gadgets to employ, the cost involved and the timeline.

 Carayol said after  meticulously going through the various project proposals by the said Companies, the Electoral body short-listed two of the Companies namely: Code Incorporated and Zetes Pass.
He told the gathering that a complete and accurate voters list is the starting point of a credible election, stressing that an election that is credible must also prevent voters from voting more than once and unregistered voters from voting.

“The use of biometrics for de-duplication, 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.
“The need to shift from the traditional method of registering voters which uses instant polariod cameras and films together with cold laminate pouches to a modern and state-of-art technology cannot be overemphasized,” said the Gambia’s Electoral boss.

He further noted that the IEC, since its inception, used the traditional form of voter registration which included counterfoil books and voting cards that are issued using cold plastic laminates.
This meant that the system was less secure, since the voting card could be easily forged and damaged, and there were also issues such as double registration and missing names.

He said due to the fact that Polaroid cameras and films are obsolete and out of the market coupled with defects such as double registrations and missing names(that is omission of voter’s names from the voter’s roll) and the fact that cling on to the traditional method of voter registration would now require the use of laptop computers, digital cameras, printers and generator sets at the registration centres.

Therefore, the Electoral Commission believes the use of biometrics in voter registration could not be overemphasized.

Among the milestones of biometrics were its uniqueness; non-duplicable data; cross matching; and secure cards.
It was noted that biometric card could not be borrowed, stolen or forgotten, and forging, according to Chairman Carayol, is practically impossible, except in replacement surgery.

He also pointed out that the use of fingerprint and or password for anyone accessing the systems lessens any risk of tampering with the system.

In summing up, Chairman Carayol told his audience that the reason behind biometric registration of voters is that it has almost the same equipment with the current mode of registration.
That it captures the fingerprints of applicants on the voting card and in the system for identification purposes.

He also said the issue of double/multiple registrations are easily detected and taken care of.

Moreover, voter’s data are inputted in the system before a voting card is abused to any applicant which mitigates the problem of missing names in voters’ roll.

The Gambia’s Electoral boss used the occasion to reassure the nations and international partners that his Commission operates on its guiding principles of fair play, integrity, neutrality, independence, credibility, transparency, accountability and professionalism.

He said its Staff members always adhere to the principles of honesty and high ethical standards.

He was undoubted that with a credible register of voters using biometric based-solutions, the Commission would be able to conduct better managed elections than before.
IEC Chairman Carayol did not forget to register the Commission’s gratitude to all those who support the Commission in carrying out its constitutional mandate.

He hailed the Gambia government for fulfilling what he called its financial obligation to the Commission as enshrined in Section 44 of the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia.
Also the UNDP, DfID and the EU were commended for magnanimously providing resources that greatly enhanced the success of the last cycle of elections in this small West African nation.

This lastest move by the Electoral Commission has been welcomed as a positive move towards enhancing standards in the electoral system.

It could be noted that the country, since the advent of the second Republic had undergone threePresidential elections namely, 1996, 2001, and 2006, with President Yahya Jammeh, a military-turned civilian President winning all.

The Gambia’s opposition is seen as a fragmented body by many, which, many believe is giving edge to the ruling APRC party over them.