Folks, this is the sort of thing we were anticipating with this voter
registration drive.

"On the issue of voters card, those who spoke to this paper said, "we are
asked to produce an identity card before being issued a voters card in the
IEC supplementary registration of voters currently taking place."

Now, if one needs to register but does not have an ID card, how is that to
happen, expecially that the registration excercise will conclude in May,
however, they will start to issue ID cards in three months time, well after
the suplementary registration of voters.  This is more reason why the
Alternative leadership needs to be vigilant in their monitoring of the
process.  Please read on.

News
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ID card scarcity hits immigration
By Ousman Darboe
Apr 30, 2004, 12:23

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The Immigration Department yesterday confirmed to Daily Observer that for
the past few months, the department had been facing scarcity of national
identity card materials.

The scarcity of these materials have caused severe setbacks for those
wishing to apply for Gambian passport, since they could not produce their
ID. Recent passport applicants who are without a national ID card told this
paper that for them to get a passport, they must produce an identity card to
prove their citizenry. This according to them, had affected those wishing to
travel overseas.

On the issue of voters card, those who spoke to this paper said, "we are
asked to produce an identity card before being issued a voters card in the
IEC supplementary registration of voters currently taking place."

Speaking to Daily Observer yesterday, the Immigration spokesman, ASP Lang
Demba confirmed the ID card material shortage saying, "yes it is true that
we are facing shortage of identity cards materials. We are working on
modalities to ensure that the problem is solved soonest."

ASP Demba explained that his office had sent a project proposal to the
government for funding, and the government, he said, were also seeking funds
from the donor community. "There is positive response however, and we will
soon start issuing identity cards in the next three months. We are coming up
with a new type of identity card. This time around, the ID cards will be
different from the old one. We are going to computerise it and the picture
of the bearer is going to be scanned like the passport type. The ID card
will also have security and production code," he disclosed.

Quizzed on whether the new type will attract an increase on the cost or not,
ASP Demba said that will be determined by the government. "This new ID card
will involve a lot of work so that it could not be easily tampered with by
unscrupulous individuals," he said.

ASP Demba urged the public to remain patient, saying that his office was
working to enable Gambians secure a modern ID card.

© Copyright 2003 by Observer Company

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